To my grandson, Kal Michael Mclenaghan. One of the finest young men, I was so grateful to play such a huge part in his 30 years with us. It was Kal who asked me to write some more stories for him, which led me to complete my life work, Who Cares Who Wins, then a further two autobiographies. Kal and I blended together, he with his lovely autism and my learning problems. We read each other, sharing like boys do, age was not a difficult hurdle.
Kal passed away on 11th of April 2020. He was 30.
“Okay son, you’ve left me with all this paperwork.”
“Share it, ‘G.D’ we can have a laugh when we meet again.”
“Hope that’s soon, son. I pray for the day I am lowered beside you.”
Love you son
Till we meet
G.D.
Adventures start at some point!
The author was born just after the end of World War Two.
He used to leave home at 4am at eight years of age on the horse and carts and in the evenings would go chimney sweeping.
When he was older he spent a few years in the military. Multiple migrations, including the ‘Ten Pound Poms’ program then followed.
After this came over 30 years of global ‘itchy foot syndrome’ full of exciting ever-changing lifestyles ranging from: rich, skint, happy, and sad.
In the following 30 years, there came numerous diagnoses: anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s, mental health issues, strokes, various dementia and divorce.
Then along came Mike’s saviours: grandchildren, hiding and losing his disabilities within their love and warm hugs.
Every day’s an adventure.
In this raw and poignant memoir, Michael recounts his harrowing journey through the psychiatric system and his struggle to find purpose after losing custody of his beloved autistic grandson.
After a suicide attempt lands him in a geriatric psychiatric ward for the third time in recent years, Michael finds himself cut off from the outside world and the grandson he raised for three decades. Facing abuse and isolation, he contemplates ending it all.
But a lifeline appears in the form of his vocal coach and support worker, who encourage him to channel his pain into art. As Michael discovers new passions in singing, painting, and poetry, he forges an unexpected friendship with a fellow patient that reignites his will to live.
This powerful story of resilience and reinvention shows how creativity and human connection can offer hope even in the darkest of times. Michael’s journey reminds us that it’s never too late to find a new voice and a reason to keep singing.
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