michael

Dad has been coming to New Zealand for over 20 years to play concerts

I came with him once a long time ago, but I’d never performed here until this trip

**note – the last 2 times Dad came to New Zealand I was either pregnant or had just given birth – so when this tour was booked, my husband started sleeping in the spare room just to be safe!

It’s almost like a second home for Dad & Mum in a lot of ways

They have lifelong friends that they’ve made here and always try to catch up with whenever they can

For as long as I can remember they’ve talked about a special kiwi mate of their’s named Michael

16 years ago when he was 17, Michael was in a horrific motor cycle accident that left him with permanent brain damage.

Right after his accident Michael was in a coma and Dad received a letter from Michael’s mum Robbie, asking if Dad could come to see him in the hospital as he was a huge Kevin Bloody Wilson fan.

When Mum and Dad arrived in Napier for the show, Dad went to the hospital to meet Michael.

Until then, he’d been pretty unresponsive and his family had been given a pretty bleak prognosis in regards to his future.

Whenever Dad tells the story of the day he met Michael, he can’t get through it without tearing up.

Michael’s family was told that with his horrific injuries, their best option was to move him to a facility that would basically ‘institutionalise’ him

He squeezed Dad’s hand on that 1st visit and they’ve remained good mates ever since

I’m really pleased to say that 16 years later, this is Michael