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People can change: Michael P. Voigt
This past weekend, one of those flipping burgers with the Lions Club at the Rodeo was Michael Paul Voigt.
At present, he buys, remodels and sells houses, has five rentals, while juggling several other projects. This 35-year-old man with the gift of gab appears to be a success story.
But what you do not know is Voigt was in and out of jail as a long-time abuser and addict of alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamines and other substances. He hurt a lot of people, beginning with his family, friends as well as himself.
This is the first of several stories about people in this area who became an addict and had serious brushes with the law and yet with help and hard work, are now people in positions of responsibility. These people are good children, parents, friends and they pay taxes instead of costing everyone a great deal by their crimes and through the criminal justice system.
Born in 1981, in Ventura, Calif., Voigt came to this area at age three and grew up in Walker.
“That is until I was in the fifth grade,” said Voigt.
If there was a negative turning point in his life, it was 1991. That year, an uncle died, Voigt was kicked out of school and the day before Christmas, his step-father left home for good.
“I’m an emotional person and after all that, I became even more loud and rebellious,” said Voigt.
Now if there is a pattern to such stories it might go something like this. A person gets into a little trouble, starts hanging out with a bad crowd and gets into serious trouble, hits bottom and then, with help, turns his or her life around.
“My life doesn’t really follow the usual pattern,” said Voigt. “Some people have to hit rock bottom before they wake up and start to turn things around.”
Starting to laugh and shake his head, Voigt said, “Not me. When I hit bottom, I just dug deeper and made things worse for me and all those around me.”
Asked who helped him turn his life around he began by naming God and reeled off those he called “God’s agents.”
“I’m a living example of God’s amazing grace,” said Voigt. “He sent me a whole series of people who planted and then feed the idea in me that I could change my life, that I could have the life I really wanted.”
Voigt began by mentioning Dr. Robert Ingeneri, his counselor during a brief stay at Heartland Behavioral Health Services, Nevada. He told Voigt he was not a helpless victim. He could take control of his life by making good choices.
“That’s a lesson which has really stayed with me,” said Voigt. “Every person on this planet makes poor choices but Ingeneri planted a seed by introducing several concepts that he put into simple questions. Will I act mature and admit what I’ve done? It’s childish to deny, excuse and blame. Will I learn from my poor decisions and make better ones? Even mice can be trained to push the lever that gives them cheese instead of a shock, so why can’t I learn? And finally, will I stop acting as if the whole world revolves around me and instead learn the joy that comes from helping others?”
While the seeds of those questions were planted, it would be many years before they would bear fruit.
He compared himself to the people of ancient Israel whom God tried to persuade by giving them blessings and only as a last resort, did God withdraw his protective hand and they suffered terribly. For Voigt, the troubles increased through what Voigt called “a surprising blessing.”
“When my Uncle Phil died, it turned out he left the proceeds of a life insurance policy for me and my sisters,” said Voigt. “So at age 16, I learned that when I turned 18, I would inherit $65,000. Instead of being grateful, I started acting like the prodigal son.”
At age 16, Voigt said he began a series of love affairs. His first was with marijuana and soon he added alcohol. He surrounded himself with people who also had the same loves.
Meanwhile, a high school teacher landed him an internship working for the electrician, Perry Cash. When, due to substance abuse, Voigt found himself in jail, he was surprised to see Cash personally come and bail him out.
Cash said, “I’ll bail you out this time, but after this, you’re on your own. Oh, and by the way, as of Monday, you’re on the payroll and you’re going to pay me back for the bail.” Voigt took that as nurturing the good seeds already planted.
But then came that devastating blessing as Voigt turned 18 and with interest, inherited just under $80,000.
“I bought my way into trouble and out of trouble while barely keeping my job,” said Voigt. “But I was a mess.”
Voigt could afford all the alcohol and drugs he wanted and when he got in trouble, he could literally bail himself out. He also purchased 20 acres and secured a bank loan to build a large shop with a living area.
In 2004, Voigt became a father but one year later, the child’s mother abandoned Voigt and the child.
After too many instances of drunk driving which became felony charges, a lawyer helped Voigt get into the Vernon County Recovery Court program.
“People think Judge Bickel is soft but he’s no pushover in recovery court,” said Voigt.
After failing several drug tests, Voigt had to do three weeks of inpatient treatment which got his attention. He graduated from recovery court in May 2010.
Realizing his neighbors were a bad influence, he relocated and in his words, “In 2012, I had a serious conversation with God.”
While not a smooth or straight track, Voigt earned an associates degree in business management in 2014, took care of his father in his last year and was hired to paint several rooms in Judge Bickel’s home.
When he got married in February 2016, Bickel performed the ceremony and now he has family, sobriety and his own business.
Reflecting back on all he had covered, he contrasted “drug thinking” with “healthy thinking.”
“One time I was desperate for money to buy gas for my car, so what did I do?” asked Voigt. “I sold my car.”
He also said, “Everyone talks to themselves. What messages are you feeding yourself? Remember, where the mind goes the body follows.”