Eight months after arriving at Naval Medical Center San Diego, Michael returned home to Tampa, Florida. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by thousands of cheering supporters. “I’m truly blessed that the Tampa community and organizations have joined together,” Michael told an interviewer, adding, “Please pray for the guys still in Afghanistan right now and for the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines recovering in Bethesda, San Antonio and Balboa. Pray for the ones who did not make it back.”

On January 9, 2014, Michael was given the keys and iPad to his new custom specially adapted smart home in Tampa.