A Loving Tribute To Michael

Michael’s Story

On Sunday October 17, 2021, the mother of 18-year-old Michael Daughtery received the most spine-chilling phone call that any parent could get. Their son, Mike, was in emergency surgery and in critical condition. Michael’s recently relocated Mother and family frantically searched for available flights to return to WI. His mother Diana, a devoted Registered Nurse, immediately began to assemble a plan for his full recovery. His family was never granted the opportunity to do so. Diana received a follow-up phone call, stating her beloved son did not survive during surgery. Michael’s premature death is a result domestic violence. This account is created for Diana (Mother), Dorian (Pops), Myesha (sister) Devin (Brother) and Phoenix (brother). The funds from this account are directly distributed to the surviving family.

Getting to Know Michael

Michael was the second eldest of three children but served as the “big little brother” of his older sister and infant brother. Freshly tuning 18 years old and recent high school graduate, Michael was embracing his newfound adulthood. He began his journey into the working world at Quad Graphics Creative Solutions. Mike quickly made a lasting impact on his co-workers and supervisors. His infectious and moldable personality quickly made him a recognizable candidate for future leadership.

As with all young adults, Michael’s life was beginning to reflect the dedication and familial support given to him over the years. Diana endlessly nurtured his journey throughout life. Prior to the conjoining of Diana and Dorian, Mom, Myesha and Mike were known as the three amigos. They spent countless occasions bonding, sharing life dreams and learning life lessons. The unwavering support of Mike’s family gave him the courage to love others unconditionally. However, his free-spirit and empathetic nature made him vulnerable to manipulated by a person who was broken and remorseless, ultimately leading to his demise.

Upholding Michael’s Legacy

In essence of reflecting on Mikes’ lifespan, it is important to emphasize the surviving family’s focus on the movement of breaking the cycle of abuse. As previously mentioned, Michael is the victim of a fatal domestic violence occurrence. Although his death is an agonizing tragedy, the family will use their grief to propel awareness to the under recognition of male victims of DV, as well as necessity of mental and emotional wellness. Diana is actively using her role as a VA nurse to promote the importance mental health support. Her experience will serve as a valuable community resource- as it does with our Veterans who benefit from the initiation of counseling services.

The Costs

Michael’s family are newly relocated in the state of Florida. However, there is an immediate need for them to reside in the city of Milwaukee while awaiting upcoming funeral services. Diana and Dorian have just welcomed a beautiful baby boy and have not returned to work from maternity leave. Since the murder, the family has been gifted support for airline expenses, car rentals, housing fees, dining, toiletries and other daily requirements. The family will still need to continue to have funding for those essentials while in Wisconsin, along with the additional costs for funeral and burial services. The family must also manage their expenses in FL. Due to the nature of this unforeseen tragedy, there is no measurable timeframe for their stay. Each single act of kindness will assist this deserving family to properly honor Michael’s heroic legacy.

How You Can Help

During this unimaginable time, please SEND YOUR DEEPEST PRAYERS to our family. Next, please share this link to all your SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. Collectively, your assistance in shedding light to Michael story will have a tremendous impact even if you are not in the position to donate. Also remember, every donation, regardless of the amount is impactful on this movement. ONE DOLLAR will even go a long way!

Lastly, take this as opportunity to open conversations about Intimate partner violence. There is an on-going stigma associated with domestic violence that only women are affected, when statistics reveal that 40 % of victims are male. Regardless of the victims’ gender, Domestic violence warning signs need to be identified and addressed IMMEDIATELY.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude for every phone call, text message, Social Media post and prayer received. Please note if Diana, Dorian or Myesha are unable to respond, they are enormously thankful for all your generosity.

This page will be updated with funeral arrangement and future Domestic Violence awareness resources and events.