Michael Heaton

In April 2025, Michael suffered a devastating workplace injury while operating heavy machinery for Lockheed Martin. He lost the first knuckle to fingertip on the middle three fingers of his right hand—a life-altering event for anyone, especially someone that works with his hands as much as Michael does.

Since the accident, Michael has been on workers’ compensation, which has reduced his income by approximately 40%. Lockheed has since limited his hours to just four per day. He’s still awaiting his official disability rating, but has been told to expect only 1–2%, which unfortunately translates to a minimal payout. To regain functionality and protect his hand, Michael will be required to use prosthetic fingertip devices that allow him to type, use his fingers as they are still very painful to touch. These advanced prosthetics cost around $8,000 per finger and require 2–4 replacements annually

Despite all this, Michael remains in remarkably good spirits. He even participated in the Dawg Bowl this year, where we had to tape his glove shut so he could grip the stick and play. His resilience and positivity have been inspiring to everyone around him.

Please consider making a donation to the Heaton family today as Michael continues to recover.