Paying It Forward

May 22, 2018

Ten years ago, then 27-year-old Mike Muccio thought he was having a heart attack or a stroke. His heart raced, he was dizzy, off-balance, and felt like he was dying—and it kept happening.

With his parents at his side, Mike spent the next nine months in and out of physician’s offices with no concrete diagnosis. When a doctor finally suggested the psychiatric ER at Massachusetts General Hospital, Mike got an answer. He was diagnosed with frequent and debilitating panic attacks that had gone on for so long he developed “panic disorder.” Mike was referred to McLean, where he was treated by Drs. Joe Flores and Marc Zuckerman over an extended period.

“Initially, I was in denial. However, I realized that these doctors were the experts in their field, and I was not going to get better if I did not accept the diagnosis and listen to them,” said Mike. “I read everything they suggested and threw myself into treatment 110%. Those doctors saved my life, and I will be forever grateful. I just wish it had not taken me nine months to get there.”

Donors Michael and Kelly Muccio
Michael and Kelly Muccio with their children

Mike stays in touch with his doctors at McLean and understands that staying well is a lifelong effort. Today, he is happily married with two beautiful children and is a partner at an accounting and advisory consulting firm in New York.

Mike contributes to McLean monthly. He feels strongly that giving back is the least he can do, and he likes the ease of automatic, recurring gifts—it is like a monthly bill, except that it is money that can help someone else who is struggling through a difficult time.

“McLean changed everything for me,” said Mike, who joined the McLean Board of Visitors in 2014. “Now I pay it forward by reaching out to others who are struggling. I am determined to reduce the stigma of mental illness by sharing my story with anyone who will hear it.”

To set up a monthly recurring gift or learn how you can make a provision for McLean through your estate, contact Kristin Kilbourne at 617.855.3644.

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