Michael's story of life

A home is more than walls and a roof. It is the people who stand beside you, the milestones you share and the moments that remind you life is worth celebrating. Michael's story shows what that can mean.

When Michael was told in 2024 that he had only six months to live, he and his wife Sharon began preparing for the hardest goodbye. His doctors had said he was palliative, and together they started thinking about how to make the most of the time they had left.

Life had other plans.

Since making a home in one of our Vertical Villages, Michael's health has taken a remarkable turn. With the right support, healthier routines and people around him who know him, his doctors recently gave him news nobody expected. His life expectancy has been extended by at least five years.

For Michael that is not just more time. It is more meals with Sharon, more cricket to watch and more karaoke nights belting out his favourite songs. It is more connection and more living.

Celebrating life, and living it

To mark the milestone, Michael and Sharon organised a Celebration of Life party. Michael pulled together one almighty event with the Kintera Care team beside him.

It was an uplifting day for Michael, his family and his friends, and for the village community too. People came together and lifted each other up, which is exactly what a village is for.

More than a home

The difference for Michael has not only been health care. It has been finding somewhere he belongs.

That is what our Vertical Village model is built to offer. It is your own front door and your own space, in a building where neighbours become friends and where health and wellbeing are part of everyday life. Shared meals, things to do together, a small team who genuinely know you, and the comfort of not being on your own.

Michael's intellectual disability has sometimes made things harder, but it has never defined him. Supported to live in a way that is healthy, social and full of purpose, he keeps showing what is possible when someone has the right place to live and the right people around them.

Making the most of every day

It is the everyday moments that matter most. Living well is not only about adding years, it is about making those years count. Michael's story is a reminder to take each day, look for connection and celebrate what makes life meaningful.

A community proud to stand beside him

For our team, supporting Michael has been a privilege. Watching him regain strength, get on with life and share his journey so openly says a lot about what we are here to do.

We are proud of Michael and proud of Sharon, and proud that a Vertical Village could give them more than a home. Somewhere to belong, and somewhere to live fully.