By Karen Olson House
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It all started with the swans. Mike Jackson carved them slowly, simply. He had struggled to find new purpose since a scaffolding accident several years earlier. He and his wife, Brenda, had worked together to move on, attending speech therapy sessions, trying volunteer work around Wadesboro. But Mike was still depressed.
He couldn’t return to working as a commercial electrician, his profession for 24 years. He suffered from hearing and short-term memory loss, and his hands trembled. Mike wasn’t the type to do nothing, but nothing was looming as he headed, searchingly, into his fifties.
His neurologist suggested that he stay busy, that working with his hands might help. “His doctor,” says Brenda, “has a sense of humor, and told him if you can’t find anything else to do, pick up a piece of wood and just whittle.”
Mike had painted some, but had never carved before. He didn’t take the doc’s advice right away. At least, until there was something worse to do—housecleaning. “He didn’t want to vacuum or do the laundry that day,” recalls Brenda, a pretty, white-haired woman. “I found him with a piece of wood. He made two swans.”
Then Mike carved some toothpick holders, which looked better than the swans. Clearer, more defined.
From there, the Pee Dee Electric member carved out a new calling for himself and amazed his friends, neighbors and family along the way.
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