In Memory of Michael Shane McCarthy
February 19, 1982 – August 12, 2021
Navy Corpsman
Marines 2/7 Weapons Unit Afghanistan
“Michael was the most amazing human. He never considered himself, always putting the needs of the less fortunate before his own. He often gave the shirt off his own back. (As his mother, it got expensive replacing them all!) He was a phenomenal artist, loved gardening and loved all of humanity. He was extremely intelligent and that fact caused him some suffering during his lifetime.
He had helped one of the Afghan interpreters finish medical school after his mother passed away. Then he was working to bring this interpreter to the US from Afghanistan with his wife and 4 children. When the Taliban took Kabul, he lost hope of helping them and took his own life. There were quite a few interpreters he was trying to help. But this family meant so much to him.
He had done very well for a while. The PTSD really didn’t show for about 5 years really. But then things turned. I am quite certain he had a traumatic brain injury as well. He moved out to LA 7 years ago, lived as a homeless man for about 4 years, became addicted to street drugs…even went to jail for a few months. He finally accepted that he needed help and was working with the VA in LA. They got him an apartment through subsidized housing that he loved and a monthly income. They helped him with medical and dental issues too. We really thought he had turned the corner. It was a shock to all of us when he took his own life. He had been making so many plans with so many people. We spend the first week just sending screenshots and emails to each other from him…even from the day before his suicide. None of us saw anything that gave us any concern. He was even starting a foundation with the interpreter…had just finished building the website and getting 501C3 status and a friend of his had made the foundation logo for him.” Shared by his mother, Vicki
Places he called home: Rhode Island and California
Resting Place: The Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, RI
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