A Feel Good Friday surprise for a kind neighbor fighting a very rare disease

EastIdahoNews.com and Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Idaho Falls and Pocatello are partnering to honor people in our community for Feel Good Friday. Every week, we surprise someone deserving of special recognition.

A few months ago we learned about a guy named Mike who is doing some incredible things for his neighbors and to help find a cure to a disease he’s fighting.

Someone emailed us about Mike and said this:

Mike has Pompe Disease. He has described it as his muscles are literally deteriorating. He struggles to walk and stand anymore. Mike volunteered to be a trial patient for new therapy which has taken a ton of time, fatigue and mental exhaustion. With treatment, he had to drive to the University of Utah many times and has 10 months of follow-up ahead. The dedication alone is very admirable.

Mike truly is a hero to not only the Pompe community but to Idaho Falls. He recently retired and moved here. He has no ties to the area. But what really sets Mike apart is his true charity towards everyone. Mike has brought dinner to my family multiple times, he is a huge gardener and shares his crops with the neighborhood, and every single week, he will wheel the trash cans from the street back to the houses.

Remember, Mike can’t walk well, so he goes around with his scooter, attaches the trash can to the scooter, and pulls it back to our house. Why? Because he’s an incredible human being.

Mike deserves consideration for his extreme dedication to being a good neighbor, not just literal neighbors, but dedication to the medical community. He had sacrificed his body as a test so others can reap the benefits.

We decided to surprise Mike to learn more about his story and honor him for Feel Good Friday. Watch the video above to see his reaction!