Michael's Journey Through the Stars

Dear ED community,

on behalf of my 15-year-old nephew, Michael, I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to you all, and also to ask a favour.

Over the last 24 hours, the Elite: Dangerous community response to Michael's circumstances has been overwhelming across social media. I've been relaying all the kind words and offers to him as best I can, and I'm hoping we can coordinate something from here.

Firstly, a quick primer for those whose response to this post is 'who? what?'.

I don't want to dwell on the medical side of Michael's story here as I'd like to keep things focused on the positivity that his love of Elite: Dangerous can bring him, and I'd like him to be able to read this thread and see the best of the Elite Dangerous community.

Suffice to say that he is a desperately unwell autistic teenager stuck in Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge (England) for his foreseeable future with nothing but a gaming PC and an internet connection. He is unable to do much, at least until he logs onto his favourite games, and then he is free.

That's where you come in.

Michael and I (and his younger brother, Nathan) have always played Elite: Dangerous together in a private session for obvious reasons (you've met the internet, right?). However, the deluge of kind offers that have come flooding in via many channels has been overwhelming and challenging to process.

Michael is keen to engage with as many opportunities as we can reasonably manage (with consideration to his ailing stamina and eyesight), and it would work well, I think, to use this forum thread to give him a 'shop window' to see what those opportunities are. Then we can work together with Frontier's assistance see how best to make some of those happen for him.

So could I humbly invite those of you who have reached out to us already, and any others who may have some ideas of how we can show Michael the best of the galaxy and the community, to post below for Michael's benefit.

Finally, I'd once again like to express my eternal gratitude for your thoughtfulness, generosity and kindness. In dark times, you are the best of us.

Uncle Mat

131639



 
Last edited:
We still have Planetary Expedition going on Kumay in Chi Herculis if Michael feels like driving SRV a bit.
And it really doesn't need to be whole circumnavigation - there's plenty of nice, friendly people there who simply enjoy driving for a bit with someone else.
(And views are magnificent)
 
As per my Twitter offer Fusang Heavy Engineering are on the way back from Beagle Point with Cmdr JimSmuzz and Cmdr Camel Number 1 heading west towards Colonia, while I'm heading east, currently at Silentium Shores then going on to Centauri Shores. Send us a friend request in game and then feel free to multicrew with any of us whenever you like. Happy to sort you out access to our PG as well o7
 
This just shows the good gaming can do, and the great communities that form around them like ours.

I’m on PS4, but we’re all CMDRs in the same Galaxy, so it still feels like Micheal, Nathan and yourself are still out there. As I said on Twitter - may Micheal’s trail blaze bright amongst the stars.

o7
 
The only thing I can think of is a "Michael's Expedition To The Stars", with a badge of some sort, lead by someone in the Elite community who has lead one before.

Not to presume on Frontier, but if it were possible to transport the entire Expedition (with some FDev magic) to each POI in succession to visit the major highlights of the game. If the PIO's were announced by the Expedition Leader on this forum via a thread entitled "Michael's Expedition To The Stars", then any player in the game near the locations could show up and greet him with an "o7 commander", welcome to this POI.

Thoughts and prayers are with you Michael, Be well.

o7...

It'd be awesome if it happens to be announced on GalNet!
 
Top Bottom