In Honor of Father’s Day
June 18, 2011
Happy Father’s Day!
I have wonderful men in my life who are all great fathers – my husband, my father, my brother, my father-in-law and brother-in-laws, etc. I hope they all know how I feel about them after all these years. This Father’s Day, however, I want to honor a father not related to me.
Here’s a little background information first. I remember receiving a phone call 11 years ago telling me about an accident that a high school friend had been in. It was a scary moment for me that I will never forget, but luckily my friend, Mike Moran, survived this tragic accident, but not without harm–he completely lost his left hand and half his arm. Yet, after all he has been through, he has accomplished so much and I believe he has become a better man. I wanted to share a little bit of his story and the courageous path he has been on since this accident, but most importantly where he is today as a husband and father. I was lucky enough to photograph him with his gorgeous family a couple of weeks ago, so here is my interview with him and some photos from their session.
Interview with Mike:
Karina: Can you share with me a little bit about your accident?
Mike: On May 6, 2000, I was painting a farmhouse {on an aluminum ladder}. I guess this accident was part of my destiny to be, even after safety precautions. Unfortunately, I was electrocuted with 4800 volts when my ladder touched a powerline. I had several wounds, 40% of my skin had third degree burns and I could not let go of the ladder until basically my left hand exploded from the high voltage. I went into cardiac arrest after the electricity basically killed me from the inside out; I won’t describe in detail what exactly happened to me, but it was awful. 911 was called and I was escorted by ambulance to Sparrow hospital where my wife Tanya was an RN. She had just gotten off of work when I was brought in. On the way to the hospital, the EMT’s strapped me in; I woke up and violently broke all the straps. I guess it really freaked them out because later I found out they both quit after my accident. When I arrived to the hospital, I was screaming, “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”, but I was starting to anyways. A life flight was dispatched from U of M and I was packed in an ice bathtub. I had 25 surgeries from this incident.
It was said that I survived due to the fact that I was a body builder/powerlifter. It was a catch 22 however, because having that much muscle damaged myoglobin in my bloodstream, it forced me into multi- organ failure as well, but on the other hand my physical condition had saved me, the doctors told me. This was only the beginning of the trauma – following seven more years of pain, mostly physical, some emotional and even spiritual. It was a maze to find my way out of this.

Karina: I remember seeing you shortly after the accident, walking in town and your spirits were so positive. Since then whenever I see you, you always have a smile on your face. You seem happy and I love that because it’s contagious. Tell me why this is and where all that positive energy is coming from.
Mike: GOD. I think that after such pain and trauma, and you finally get over it – your happy just “to be”.
Karina: In high school you were labeled as a jock, body builder, bad ass; you were a tough guy. Are you still that tough guy? And in what ways?
Mike: I think the dedication it took to be an athlete helped me persevere the aftermath of this. I would say yes it was a tragedy, but I would be damned if I went through this event and did not try to find some positive thing out of it. I gained a greater spirituality in God, discovered new things about my own character, gained a deeper empathy and compassion for others. I am perhaps more protective and I try to value every moment I can to a deeper level.
Karina: What’s the best part about being a dad?
Mike: The love you receive from your kids and the love you give to them. Watching them experience all the things you once did is like replaying a movie.
Karina: You have a beautiful wife, Tanya, who has stuck by your side. Tell me how lucky you are.
Mike: We have been married 15 years and together for 20 this summer. Tanya has supported me through the thickest pain and depression. I am so thankful for her – I smother her with affection. If she wasn’t there, I would not be where I am now. I am so thankful to have Tanya in my life. I can honestly say I am even more in love with her than the beginning it seems. Thank God for her standing by my side, giving me advice and keeping me in line.
Karina: Looking back to the day of the accident and then seeing where you are today, is this where you had hoped to be? And 10 years from now, what do you see?
Mike: I have been through 7 years of pain so intense, I literally wanted to die. I have had heartache, loss of identity, struggled with my belief in God, struggled with my loss physically. Actually, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I am HAPPY. I envision more success and goals of mine to come to reality. One of my gifts has been VISION on an ideal or a reality that I would like to mainfest. I am hoping that I will be able to continue to do the things I love. If you have happiness, what don’t you have?
Karina: Recently you shared with me some remarkable news about the possibility of being considered a candidate for a new device called “bio-artificial neuromuscular junction”, through the University of Michigan, where your nerves could be connected to this device then move through your prosthesis, and you could possibly operate your hand like normal. What are your thoughts on this awesome news?
Mike: I think it would be the closest thing to a miracle I could experience on this earth. I wouldn’t know how to feel and react if I could feel and sense a hug with two hands again. It would really be beyond comprehension for me. I find it really amazing that they are considering me actually.
“It’s easier to understand the physical trauma of losing a limb, but the emotional and pyschological loss is equally as devastating. Think of how the touch of someone you love holding your hand makes you feel. To regain motor function and feeling… it would be beyond words and emotions that I know how to describe.” Quote from the U of M article, Cederna Research Story, In the Loupes.
Karina: What do you hope to have taught your children throughout all of this? How do you most want them to remember you?
Mike: Through adversity, pain and trials that will happen in your life, you can still come out successful if you keep pushing.
So there it is, Mike’s story. I was so honored that he trusted me enough to share a part of his life story with me. I wanted to give him a little surprise, so I asked his wife and kids to answer a question for me:
What makes your dad/husband, Mike, a good dad or husband?
Michael: My dad has always been there to help me with any problems or questions I have. He helps me to see the bigger picture. I know I can come to him. He has taught me to enjoy life.
Taylor: My dad is the best dad because he always plays games with me and acts funny while playing. He tries to change the rules.
Madison: My dad takes me to the movies when nobody else will. He plays games with me. It is fun when he plays. He is the best dad ever.
Tanya: Mike is dedicated to our family. He enjoys spending “family time” together. Since his accident he has tried his best to stay positive, he has a great sense of humor and is the first one to joke about himself. He has a way of putting people at ease. Mike is hard working and is driven to do the very best. He is always looking for ways to improve on himself. I’m proud of all the things he has accomplished over the years. He has had to overcome enormous struggles, but has become a better husband and father because of it.
This is a wonderful family who I wanted to celebrate this Father’s Day. As you can see, Mike is a unique individual who has overcome adversity and found the pleasure in living each day. He loves his family and is just happy to be here with them, and I am so happy that he is, too. Thank you Mike for sharing your story with me and for your continued friendship. Happy Father’s Day, Mike.























