Michael’s Story

Site created on April 21, 2020

Michael suffered a major stroke (brain bleed) on Monday, April 20, 2020.   The stroke occurred as he was checking in to be COVID-screened for work at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, so fortunately he was surrounded by quick-acting medical professionals and received care immediately.   


Neurosurgery took place within 2 hours or so to stop the bleed, but the doctor said before the surgery that it did not look promising for Michael. Following the surgery the doctor said he wished he had good news, but he did not and that the surgery did not go well.  There was just too much bleeding and Michael would not survive.  Michael was taken to the Intensive Care Unit and plans were made with hospice and the organ donation folks.  But then..........the next morning (April 21), Michael opened his eyes and squeezed the doctor's hand, much to the doctor's amazement. The doctor was speechless as he did not expect this at all!  Well, the Good Lord is not done with Michael yet and now we are working on healing!


Please share your well wishes, stories, pictures, anything you'd like on this avenue we will use for updating on Michael's condition.  Our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ, the great physician and healer. Thanks be to God for the gift of Michael George Koch!

Newest Update

Journal entry by Linda Koch

It was four years ago tonight that Michael was living his best life in Ormond Beach. The first picture is of him that night walking to the beach with one of his besties.

Twelve hours later he had a massive hemorrhagic stroke. Twelve hours after that he was going through tests and prep for organ donation and we were on-line looking for urns with hockey sticks. Twelve hours after that he squeezed the doctor's hand, opened his eyes, and withdrawal of life support was canceled. If you followed CaringBridge, you know how much ensued in the following 20 months.

We still get random calls, texts, and emails from people asking how Michael is. They say they check this site for updates and are glad to see nothing here. We are glad nothing is here, too!

The only thing Michael is going through medically right now is issues from having kidney stones which he'll have removed in the coming weeks. 

Michael is still settled in at The Grove. When you ask him how his day is he says "up and down". When you drill down to what was up and what was down, he says the up was that he woke up that morning....  As hard as it is not to have him home with us, we realize he is in the best place for care, safety, socialization, and activity. 

We did have a lovely Easter Sunday with Michael in church and at home for dinner. That's where the second picture is from.

So we continue to be grateful and go day by day thanking God for all his blessings along the way. Thank you for your continued care support of our family! ❤️
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