Michael Rogers has found great pride in his work as a death doula, providing spiritual and emotional support to those transitioning to the end of their lives. 

Michael Rogers and a friend at the Bastrop Federal Penitentiary in Bastrop, Texas in the late 80s. Courtesy of Michael Rogers.

This work also made Michael reflect on his own life and choices. As Michael told his stepson at StoryCorps, some of those choices landed him in prison where he realized he wanted to live a meaningful life.

Michael Rogers and his brother’s at Michael’s wedding in the Lower East Side, New York, in 2004. Courtesy of Michael Rogers.
Michael Rogers at the House of Refuge Church of God and Christ in Los Angeles, California. Courtesy of Michael Rogers.
Top Photo: Michael Rogers at his StoryCorps interview in Manhattan, New York on March 19, 2006. By Laura Spero for StoryCorps.

This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Originally aired July 12th, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.