The world got a little quieter that day — but Heaven surely got louder. Born September 7, 1972, Michael grew up on Lake Eufaula in Alabama (insert “Roll Tide”). He was a proud graduate of Troy University and earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Life University in 1995.

It was there that he met the love of his life, Marjorie. To say he adored her would be an understatement. He loved big, loud, and without apology — and he made sure every room he walked into knew just how much he cherished her. They married in June of 1996 and soon after, relocated to Morristown, Tennessee — drawn to its beauty, the lakes, and the mountains. He wasn’t just looking for a town; he was looking for a community to raise his family and pour his life into, and for nearly 30 years, that’s exactly what he did.

Michael opened Heskett Family Chiropractic with a mission to serve and uplift, and he spent the next three decades delivering healthcare, hope, energy, and unstoppable joy. His practice eventually expanded to four locations — Morristown, Rogersville, Dandridge, and East Knoxville — with a beloved team of six doctors and ten team members he considered nothing short of family. He led with vision, heart, and the belief that healing was as much about love as it was adjustments.

Michael never met a stranger, and if you spent even five minutes with him, you likely knew a few things right away: he loved Jesus, he loved chiropractic, he adored his wife, and he was unbelievably proud of his kids. Gage, Faith, Kendall, and Reese — he loved them with everything in him: loud, proud, and all in, every single day. He filled their lives (and the lives of all their friends) with big laughter, late night kitchen dance parties, midnight swims, hunting and fishing adventures, unforgettable memories at Lake Lure, over-the-top lip sync battles, and some of the loudest cheers to ever come from a set of bleachers. He was the silent football gamemaster, DJ extraordinaire, and the guy who could turn an ordinary Tuesday night into something unforgettable.

Michael found true joy hunting and fishing alongside his kids, his brother, nephews, uncles, cousins, and friends. Together, they shared laughter, stories, and still moments in God’s creation—times that renewed his spirit and deepened the bonds he cherished most. Michael had a kind of presence that made every moment feel like the best one yet. Michael was a magnet, a whirlwind, a firecracker of energy and generosity. Whether he was speaking on stages across the country about Jesus or chiropractic, he made strangers feel like lifelong friends — he did it all with a heart that was fully surrendered to God. His love for Jesus filled every space he entered, and his desire to share that love was unrelenting.

Michael was joy in human form — a strong leader, a fierce encourager, a servant-hearted force of nature. He made the ordinary feel electric. His legacy is one of laughter, bold love, unwavering faith, and the challenge to all of us: live loud and love louder. We will miss him more than words can carry, but we know he is now dancing, whole and free, singing a new kind of praise in the presence of his Heavenly Father.