Born with a severe hearing impairment, Mike Garrigan learned to be a highly competitive fighter early in life with a never give up attitude which was usually enough to overcome the many challenges and struggles he faced in his early years. He grew up in a small Midwest town on the shores of Lake Erie and enjoyed sailing and sports, especially football. However, nothing could have prepared him for the unexpected storm that began to bear down on him as he entered his college years. A routine eye exam would result in the diagnosis of an incurable disease called Usher Syndrome Type II which is a genetic disease. Those affected by this disease are born with severe hearing impairment and then typically around teen years they develop Retinitis Pigmentosa which begins to degenerate their vision and eventually leads to blindness. This diagnosis hit him like a hurricane as he struggled to understand what was happening and how it would impact his life and future. The disease, Usher Syndrome Type II, he would learn would slowly rob him of his vision and eventually result in blindness in addition to his severe hearing loss. His future appeared to be over before it had even begun. After graduating from college Mike moved from the Midwest to Atlanta, Georgia and began the adventure of pursuing a career. Mike decided to try to take control of his future, press forward in his own strength, and fight for the normal life that he had always imagined. He met his wife, bought a house and had two daughters. He progressed in a career in the technical field. However, his disease had other plans and as he marched toward blindness, he found himself taken by surprise once again. Although he had anticipated some of the challenges that may come his way as he faced blindness, no one had prepared him for a storm of another kind. This time he found himself vulnerable and trapped in the miserable dark hole of depression, hopelessness and suffering. But then something interesting happened...
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