Got IT | Helping a devoted husband return to the workforce

Every person who gets married makes the same pledge to be devoted to their partner. There’s no way to know what this pledge will involve. All you can do is buckle up and do whatever you need to do. From the moment his wife was first diagnosed with dementia, “Michael” was there for her. From patiently reminding her where the dishes were to taking over all responsibilities in the kitchen, Michael helped his wife anyway he could.

As time went on, his wife’s needs became too much for him to handle while working full time. After weighing all of his options, Michael quit his logistics job to become a full-time caretaker for his wife. From the instant she opened her eyes in the morning to the gentle kiss he applied to her forehead at night, Michael took care of his wife’s every need.

In the process, he burned through their life savings. With no other options, Michael had no choice but to check his wife into a Medicare-funded nursing home while he set to the task of rebuilding his life. “I’ve been on the periphery for the past three and a half years,” Michael explains. “I’m very lucky to have connected with Eastern Maine Development Corporation, where Tracye Green  helped me find an apartment and a job, but I also needed a computer so I could update my resume and do some job hunting on my own.”

Michael is no stranger to overcoming adversity. He made some bad decisions in his youth while under the influence of drugs and alcohol that he regretted, learned from, and put behind him. You can hear the pride and confidence in his voice when he states that he’s been in recovery for 32 years. During that time, he became a manager in the logistics office of a nationwide retail chain and created a happy life for his wife and their family. “We started dating when we were in 9^th grade, and she got sober a year after I did, so yeah, you can say we’ve been through some things together.”

As heartbreaking as it is for Michael to be apart from his wife, he’s more determined than ever to get back to work so he can continue being there for his wife. Thanks to one of our sponsor’s generosity, we provided Michael with a laptop at no charge. Within two days, he’d created a new resume and applied for several jobs in the trucking and shipping industries.

A self-described “puzzle person,” Marcel is skilled at coordinating shipments, backhauling loads, and managing the “constant rotation” of products and trucks from place to place.  “After devoting so much time to my wife, what I’d really like to do is get with a company that can help me go back to school so I can train for an even better job down the road,” Michaels explains. “But in the meantime, I’m just excited to get back in the swing of things again. The computer has made so many good changes for me. It’s pretty much become a lifeline.”

Michael is one of the thousands of people we help acquire the skills, training, and connections they need to find better jobs and improve the quality of their lives.

If you run or work for a business that could use a logistics manager with 25 years of experience, please email [email protected]. Our Communications Manager will share Michael’s real identity and resume with you.

If you would like to cover the cost of a new computer for a person like Michael, please check out the SPONSOR IT section of our website.

If you run or work for a business with outdated technology that needs to be recycled, please email [email protected]. or call him at 207-322-6257.