Repurposing His Pain to Help Others
THE COLLAPSE
On June 24, 2021, a 12-story beachfront condo known as the Champlain Tower’s South partially collapsed killing 98 people. Mike Noriega’s father, Carlos, the North Bay Village Police Chief, was one of the first to get the call. Soon thereafter, Mike’s mother frantically called him relaying the horrific news. Rushing to the site what he and his family saw left them in shock.
Mike explains, “A cold shiver shot down my spine like a bolt of lightning. My mom’s face erupted in tears. She began wailing, ‘Oh my gosh, the building is gone. Oh my gosh!’ Nothing could have prepared me for what my own two eyes witnessed… My grandmother’s building had almost completely collapsed as though it were a controlled demolition.” As they waited and watched the scene unfold, rescuers frantically searched through the debris hoping to find survivors. Sadly, on day six they found his grandmother’s body. She was the 12th victim of the building collapse.
During this devastating time, something happened that Mike never expected. He was thrust into the spotlight and became the spokesperson on behalf of his father and family. To date, he’s done over 60 interviews discussing the tragedy. One of the things Mike learned through this experience is that, “Time DOES NOT heal all things. That’s a lie. Things only get worse if you don’t heal from the pain and it can either lead to resentment or restoration,” he shares.
His grandmother's legacy of love and Mike's heart for people has ignited a passion in him to help those who are suffering. In doing so, he wrote Uncollapsable Soul: How do you endure a broken heart without crushing your spirit? desiring to honor the victims and share what he has learned about healing while also helping others do the same.
5 REQUISITES OF RESTORATION
Nobody is exempt from loss or pain in this world. God is the key to moving through the pain and coming out on the other side. In what Mike calls the “5 Requisites of Restoration” he says, “You have a choice to move from having pain or allowing the pain to have you.” Mike understands that we endure heartbreak at some point in our lives. But he says it is imperative not to allow that broken heart to break your spirit. To do that, you need to:
- Reveal It: Acknowledging your grief prompts your healing. Awareness initiates healing because exposure brings closure.
- Relieve It: Addressing your grief positions your healing. Unaddressed pain doesn’t get better; it enslaves you.
- Release It: Surrendering your anguish processes your healing. The freedom we seek is found in the surrender we avoid.
- Reframe It: Receiving your healing replaces your pain. A wound that’s healed is no longer a wound. It’s a scar. Pain doesn’t define you. It refines you.
- Renew It: Attain purpose from your pain. Restoration transforms what broke you into a passion that awoke you. It’s about inspiring others to find healing! Someone needs your story of hoping for a miracle, to becoming a miracle!
To learn more about Mike Noriega's ministry and to purchase his book, Uncollapsable Soul, please visit: www.UncollapsableSoul.com.
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