Michael Allen Ford Sr. was born in Slidell, Louisiana, on May 1, 1975, to Ed and Rebecca Ford. He was married to Richelle Thibodeaux Ford on July 25, 1998, and they had two beautiful children, Sara Elizabeth and Michael Junior. They had a blessed and joyful marriage. Mike served his community for 26 years, including his four years as a volunteer. He was an observer and took his time to contemplate people and problems before drawing his own conclusions. He used humor to lighten the mood and make everyone feel at ease. He faced each challenge with bravery and dignity. He never gave up on anyone or anything. He believed in honor and was the most giving man.

He attended Slidell High School for two years and then transferred to St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where he played varsity football and basketball and graduated in 1994. He went on to obtain an associate degree in fire sciences from Delgado Community College and volunteered for four years as a firefighter with Fire Protection District No. 1 in Slidell. On May 1, 1997, Mike joined Fire Protection District No. 1 as a full-time firefighter and EMT and dedicated his career to protecting the citizens of Slidell, concluding his career as a fire captain. While with the fire department, he trained to be a rescue diver, which led to his working on several movie and television productions.

He was a Boy Scout, an Eagle Scout, and a member of the Order of the Arrow. Upon learning how to weld, he developed a passion for metalwork and woodworking. He was a self-taught rope weaver and made his own hammock and crawfish nets. After beginning medical treatments, he dedicated time to building his beloved daughter a car for her birthday, which was one of his favorite accomplishments. He loved to watch engineering, military, and war movies and could tell the caliber of ammunition and gun type of each soldier. He enjoyed sharing his love of history with his children and especially enjoyed spending quality time with his family and friends.

He took pride in serving his community and felt no task was too great. Mike put every effort into doing something the right way. He helped to build a playground at First United Methodist Church, coached youth basketball, adopted pets from a local shelter, and served on the board for the Slidell High School Band Boosters. Mike volunteered his time to build homes for severely injured veterans with the non-profit A Soldier’s Journey Home. In addition, he loved to help his neighbors and family with DIY projects, even travelling to other states to help elderly family members.