Hidden Gems: Meet Michael Gershe of The Magic of Life Foundation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Gershe.

Hi Michael, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The path to creating The Magic of Life program and foundation started when I was 8 weeks old. My father was driving us (mother, my 3-year-old brother and myself) home from Long Island to Spring Valley, NY. We were about a mile from our house when a drunk driver slammed into our car at an intersection. The first responders upon arriving on scene found my father, mother and brother. The force of the impact pushed our car into a telephone pole that split the car up to the dashboard. Eventually, I was found sandwiched between the passenger door and dashboard. The four of us were taken to the hospital where my mother went into surgery for her injuries. My brother did not have a scratch on him and my father received stitches from the windshield hitting his face.

As for me, I was life flighted to another hospital in New York as nearly all my bones were broken and my skull fractured like a halo. My Aunt said she lost count of how many blood transfusions I received to keep me alive.

The doctors told my father that I was “touch and go” and no idea if I would survive. My mother, Barbara, who was only 28 years old, died the next morning due to her injuries. I had to be taken to the hospital every 6 months for a while to make sure I didn’t have any brain damage and despite what some of my close friends might say, I did not have any. I grew up to be a competitive swimmer, magician, stand-up comedian, speaker and author.

While I was in high school, I made the commitment to myself that I would not let my mother’s death be for nothing and decided that I would try and prevent others from going through the same tragedy. When I attended Ashland University in Ohio on a swimming scholarship, I was part of Campus Activities Board and a Peer Educator where I learned of the world of college speakers and share my story for the first time. I attended The University of Akron and earned my Master’s degree in Higher Education where I created The Magic of Life program in 1994. It combined magic and my story for a fun, but emotional alcohol awareness program for students. While I was in my last semester of graduate school, I started to perform stand-up comedy and pursued that after I earned my degree. Not the best financial plan in the world, but comedy was my dream ever since I was a teenager.

In May 2000, I began working at Kent State University as an academic advisor and started to present The Magic of Life to freshmen students. This opportunity allowed me to develop the program even more and eventually got a manager to book the program at colleges. Over the years, I have spoken at high schools before proms, college, military bases and courts. I have a partnership with the Stow Municipal Court in Ohio where every month for the last 9 years, have presented the program to first time DUI offenders. I stopped performing magic shortly after 9/11 and combined stand-up comedy with my personal story for an inspirational program.

I founded The Magic of Life Foundation in 2014, a non-profit organization to help continue the mission of preventing impaired driving in communities. In 2019, I self-published my memoir, “The Magic of Life: A son’s story of hope after tragedy, grief and a speedo” after a comedian friend of mine made my promise to write a book about my life in the late 90s. It may have taken me over 20 years, but grateful that my story has brought some humor to the readers and helped them in their journey dealing with tragedy and grief.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I have faced numerous struggles along the way. A lot of issues have been with schools not having the budget to bring the program to their students. That is one reason why I started the non-profit organization. My hope was that local businesses would help sponsor the program to their community. When a school says they only have $200 and are in California, as much as I would love to come out from Ohio, that alone won’t pay for a flight.

Getting schools to see the value in it and marketing has been a struggle as well. We know the program impacts lives, but not everyone feels the same way. We are trying to prevent senseless deaths from teenagers to adults, so we know the value, but trying to get others to see it has been somewhat difficult. Now, COVID has impacted not only myself from speaking, but my fellow speakers too. Budgets have been slashed even more so and that hurts bringing the program to students who need to hear the message.

Another struggle that I face is with my own depression and still coping from the crash even though it was over 51 years ago. There are times where I read articles about drunk drivers killing people and I think, ” Am I really making a difference? Why am I beating my head against the wall with this?” There are times where I just want to feel “normal” and not feel this weight that I put on myself to make a difference. But, if I stop presenting the program, then the man who killed my mother wins. He already took my mother, he can’t take my soul and purpose in life. Is it exhausting at times, sure? But when someone comes up to you after a program and says how much of a difference in made in their life, then that keeps me inspired.

We’ve been impressed with The Magic of Life Foundation, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Magic of Life Foundation was founded in 2014 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The mission of the foundation is to prevent impaired driving in communities. Prior to Covid, our annual event was a fundraiser and top cop awards ceremony. We would award law enforcement in Summit County for their DUI efforts. The first year we awarded 9 officers and then in our second year, we awarded 12. We also had a silent auction and 50/50 raffle to help raise funds for the foundation.

One of our goals is to help children impacted by drunk driving and have donated to some fundraising efforts for them with the money we have raised. We are still looking for a corporate sponsor or two for the foundation that will assist us in bringing the program to schools to raise awareness and save lives. What sets us apart is that we are a small non-profit organization with a board that is made up of a local business man, chief of police, a mother who lost her son due to a drunk driver and a college friend of mine who also lost a close friend due to impaired driving.

All of us have a personal attachment to this issue and why we are dedicated to the foundation.

Proceeds from my book also go to the foundation but people can donate by going to www.themagicoflife.org if they would like to help us in our mission. They can book the program for their community as well and we would love the opportunity to inspire people to never drive impaired.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think most people would think I am an extrovert because I perform comedy or The Magic of Life program, but I am really a huge introvert. I love being on stage and the creative process, but away from that, I can be a hermit. I really enjoy my “me” time with my camera out in nature taking photographs. That gives me great joy and balance in life.

Pricing:

• Autographed books – $25
• The Magic of Life Program – $2,000

Contact Info:

• Email: info@themagicoflife.org
• Website: www.themagicoflife.org
• Instagram: gershepix
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gershe/
• Twitter: @magicoflifeorg
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfVVavy-STOW1vtipruuq5A
• Other: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_gershe_the_magic_of_life_impaired_driving_prevention

Image Credits
P Rae Staton