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MICHAEL FINN HAS already died three times – or so he’s been told.
The first time was in a hotel in Drogheda. The other two were in hospital beds.
Michael used to be wedding photographer, and on 14 November 2014 he was finishing up a job in Drogheda when he experienced shooting pains in his arms.
He rang his wife Christina and told her to get their son Niall to collect him.
“I’ve pains in my two arms and I can’t drive,” he said.
Michael ran back to the hotel where the wedding was taking place and collapsed in the lobby.
There was a nurse in the lobby of the hotel and a doctor eating dinner in the restaurant.
Both performed CPR on Michael for 40 minutes – well over the normal time spent on the life-supporting action.
“After that, I spent the next five weeks in a coma,” says Michael.
My chances of survival were put at 1%.
That was the first time Michael died – in the lobby of a hotel.
It took incredible luck and the strenuous work of two healthcare professionals to ensure it wouldn’t be the last.
No memory
Michael had suffered from a massive heart attack in Drogheda.
He spent the next five weeks in an induced coma being moved from hospital to hospital.
The next time he died was in the Mater Hospital while they were trying to put a stent into his heart.
Michael doesn’t remember any of this – he doesn’t remember the entirety of the November or most of December, all he knows of the heart attack and after is is what he’s been told by others.
There were times he woke up, others say, but he can’t remember any of them.
A video taken of Michael two and a half weeks into his coma shows him sitting up and talking.
“I’m speaking in the video but I’ve no recollection of this,” he says.
“I actually make a very strange comment – I actually say ‘This is the first time I’ve spoken since the accident’.
So, obviously somewhere in my head I thought that I’d had an accident.
Not only were his chances of survival slim – the possibility of Michael waking up without some serious brain damage as a result of the heart attack were even smaller.
Recovery
The third time Michael died was after a minor heart attack while at Tallaght Hospital, but somehow he recovered, woke up, and was home from the hospital by Christmas.
From there, as he began his recovery – Michael resolved to change his life.
“Since then, my whole attitude to life has changed,” he says.
He started a bucket list of things he had to do before he died for good. Having put it off for too long before, Michael resolved not to let his dreams pass him by.
“At this stage I could barely walk… but I had to do something,” he says.
In October of last year, despite the warnings of healthcare professionals, he took a solo trip to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
“Everyone said you had to wait two years to travel from the time you had the heart attack,” says Michael.
“But I said fuck that for a game of soldiers – I’m not waiting.
The next time I die I probably won’t come back – so I’m going now.
He travelled alone to the Maasai Mara and lived his dream of photographing the wildlife there.
Michael says that it was yet another “life-changing” experience in a year that was full of them – after dying three times and following his dream, his life was changed for ever.
He no longer works as a wedding photographer – the stress of the job would be too much on his already weakened heart.
Money is tight, but he is getting by.
From publishing books of travel and photography, to collaborating on musical projects – Michael has plenty of plans for the time he has left.
“There’s lots of other stuff… but I’m not willing to talk about it just yet,” he says.
It changes your attitude towards life – it’s more important to enjoy life than to spend time worrying.
Humans of Dublin
Michael’s is just one story of the many collected by Hungarian photographer Peter Varga for the Humans of Dublin Facebook page.
Inspired by the similar Humans of New York project, Humans of Dublin is photography and essay project started three years ago – it photographs people around the city and gives excerpts of important moments from their lives.
The photography project will feature as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin.
A “human library” is being set up today out of Tamp & Stitch in Temple Bar from 2pm to 4pm today.
People will be able to meet Michael and others featured on the Humans of Dublin page. They will be able to chat with them, hear their stories and maybe tell their own.
“I don’t need to walk hours for a great story,” Varga says.
There are so many around us and we walk by them every day not knowing.
You can read more and view the pictures from Michael’s trip to Kenya here.
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Hopefully now that things are calming he might take time out to release a new Gangham song for us fans.
Quick! Someone stop Leo before he invites him here!
@pats brandon: what has Leo got to do with this?
@Fabio Dillon: it’s called a humorous comment and as for Leo and Kim that won’t happen as there is no way you can be seen to meet with a monster, who has destroyed his peoples lives and forced more than a few people to leave their home and birth place for a better life and whose people are now suffering from food shortage, no money and health system that is 3rd world and has people dying as a result.
But if Kim has no problem with this and can overlook Leo’s faults and failings to the irish people so be it
@nelly:
Trying to compare Ireland to NK is moronic, even if its an attempt to be humourous.
@Walt Jabsco: so sorry snowflake, did I upset you
@Walt Jabsco: who performed your humour bypass?
Damn good whoever it was….
@Dessie Deratta:
I have a great sense of humour thanks sweetheart – it’s just that there was nothing even remotely funny in Nelly’s comment.
@Walt Jabsco: 25 thumbs up and counting says different. Unfortunately the journal and snowflakes, like yourself got rid of the red thumbs down, as you don’t do rejection well. Smiley face, smiley face, humorous face, laughing face. Wave bye bye
@Walt Jabsco: I’d say you’re great Craic over a pint.
@nelly: except for food shortage, I agree 100%
@Walt Jabsco: No you don’t and yes there was.
@pats brandon: Leo can invite Justin Trudea for an afternoon of ..
Orange Mocha Frappuccino’s ! !!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTrxEQnPtAg
@nelly: yeah it’s not a humorous comment. Completely and utterly a non relevant comment. Thanks for your dribble though.
Chins finally taking some responsibility for this rogue leader with nuclear weapons which they created…….Have to give Trump some credit for this…..
@pc_comments: What are you talking about?
@pc_comments: in this case you could use the common typo “rouge regime” and still be right.
@pc_comments: yes, puzzled myself. Read somewhere, USA has 5500 nuke warheads, Russia has about 4000 nukes, China has 250, India and Pakistan have about 5 each, and there is world panic that Rocket Man may have 1 ???
Expel some Chinese diplomats.
We don’t need an actual reason….or must we wait till British spooks instruct us to?
@Dessie Deratta: What has china done on ireland?
@Sean Conway: What have the Russians done to Ireland? Tory boys Leo and Simon wanting to please their superiors.
@Dessie Deratta: Stick to your day job.
@Sean Conway: As we see from the Russian affair we don’t need a reason…neither China nor Russia have every done Ireland any harm.
But lets expel them to show solidarity with the Pentagon.
Donald will sort out all those lads
@Ger Burke: The guy can’t even hire a lawyer.
Now, let’s hope these two lads can sort things out themselves. No need for the US to stick their beak in. N.korea are no more a threat to the world than Wales are.
@Centerro:
Tell that to the South Koreans
@Walt Jabsco: actually the SoKos are scared that Trump will start a war that will kill millions of them.
@Dessie Deratta:
It’s possible to be afraid of both the US and NK you know. They just don’t want a war full stop, and who could blame them?
@Walt Jabsco: It’s ok for th US to have a civil war. but korea or anyone shouldn’t?
@Sean Conway: They did have one. 1950 to 1952. Read a history book.
Another triumph for Trump.
Its a good step forward
Funny how a guy that’s worshipped so much in North Korea is so scared that he has to take secret trips abroad. Thought he’d be a guy for full state honours when he travels abroad. But then the north Koreans probably don’t even know he’s gone!
@Adrian: apparently he is afraid of flying.
Perhaps not for the same reason that many people are.
@Adrian: probably so much secrecy because he’s scared of being assassinated or being kidnapped by the CIA.
If either happened the country would deny it and his clone would take over!
I’d love to go for a pint him
@johnbunton: with him
have your say