Nine Lives and Counting

Nine Lives and Counting The Life and Times of a Farm Boy from Northeastern Pennsylvania Growing up in a twice-broken family with meager means, Mike learned early how to make the best of what life offered. Driven by a “can-do” attitude instilled by a grandfather with a strong work ethic and a stepfather who needed farm hands, he developed grit, determination, and a relentless will to succeed—no matter the odds. From his roots on the farm to more than twelve years of service in the Marine Corps, Mike faced one challenge after another: major accidents, multiple health crises, and a lifetime of near-death experiences that he came to see not as setbacks, but as defining events—each one shaping who he would become. A farm boy, Marine, world traveler, club disc jockey, auto mechanic, aircraft maintenance instructor, scuba diver, master scuba trainer, airplane pilot, handyman, homeowners association president, author, and aircraft heavy maintenance planning manager—Mike has worn many hats. Now retired from them all, he’s come full circle, returning to the life of a family farmer. What a ride.