Mike's story: When a father's calling becomes a lifeline

Twenty-five years ago, Mike George found himself in a community centre watching a fellow father struggle. The man's son, who had some kind of disability, was growing agitated waiting for choir practice to end. Mike could see the father's frustration mounting – the yelling, the stress, the isolation that comes with 24/7 caregiving.

Mike knew exactly how that father felt. His own son Ben has required round-the-clock care since birth.

"I wanted to go over and tell him it's OK, things are going to be OK," Mike recalls. "I didn't do that. But it was a turning point for me – realizing it wasn't just me suffering. There were hundreds of thousands of others."

"the calling"

It was more than empathy Mike felt that day – it was what he calls a "calling." Something bigger than just helping one frustrated father. That moment planted the seed for what would become Soaring Families, Mike's mission to support others in rewriting their caregiving story.

For years, the idea percolated while Mike balanced his IT career with being a husband, dad to three and – with his wife Jan – a family caregiver to Ben. He wrote a book, Third Time Lucky: How Ben Shows Us the Way, an honest memoir about their family's journey through the emotional and physical exhaustion of caregiving.

In 2015, Mike launched Soaring Families, creating practical tools like The Pink Book – a comprehensive caregiving companion with more than 40 templates covering everything from medication schedules to emergency protocols. What started as their family's pink binder system took 30 years to develop into a lifeline for other caregivers seeking organization and peace of mind.

Soaring Families also launched the Champions Quest group coaching program. Mike and Jan guide families through their Caregiver Support Formula – a step-by-step system for finding the right caregivers and creating positive home care experiences.

Mike describes his leadership style as servant leadership – being the guide rather than standing up front. 

He has now left his IT career to focus full-time on Soaring Families, driven by "the calling" to help families discover that caregiving, while challenging, can also be a gift. 

His inspiration comes partly from Ben himself, who despite his disabilities shows "unstoppable determination to live an amazing life." (That determination is beautifully captured in the short film, Including Me: Ben’s Story.)

"There's something deeper keeping me going," he reflects. "I wake up every morning still passionate about this 25 years on."

If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more please reach out to Mike directly at mike@soaringfamilies.com. 

Dave Veale