Michael Low - 50 Stories for 50 Years (Story # 34)
When Michael moved to Vancouver from Singapore in 2023, he brought a lifetime of stories. He was an electronics engineer with Motorola. He spent years travelling the world, working with different cultures, and building factories. But what he most enjoyed building was relationships.
Everything changed the day Michael’s wife passed away. His three children had found their successes abroad – two in Vancouver, one in Boston.
"Dad,” they said gently, “we know you're grieving, but we don't want you to be by yourself."
"But my friends, my network is here," Michael protested.
"It's difficult for us to take care of you if you stay in Singapore," they said.
He knew they were right. Michael prepared to start a new chapter of his life in Vancouver.
Living alone in a new city reminded Michael of his early university days– except now he was a senior. Loneliness was heavier now, and he was grieving. He realized he had to find new connections to look after his well-being.
"When I first retired, it was terrible," Michael remembers. "Like the whole world forgot you. I have all this experience and knowledge – can I do something with it?’ I couldn't find a solution until I started volunteering."
The day Michael came to Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, something shifted.
The space was filled with people from Hong Kong, Burma, the Philippines, Brazil – faces from all over the world. It reminded Michael of the faces in the factories he'd built. It felt like coming home.
Michael volunteered with the Tech Café program, teaching seniors how to use devices and avoid scams. Then he got involved in Tuesday lunches - helping in the kitchen, setting up tables, serving food.
At first, he wondered: “Why am I doing this?”
But then he started listening.
Throughout his career Michael learned to listen without judgment. He looked for what people did best. Those skills led him to connect with nearly sixty seniors in his first year at MPNH. And Michael noticed a common theme: their biggest stress wasn't money or health. It was disconnection.
“Especially with seniors,” Michael realized, “if they don't want to talk to people, it's great to have someone lead them out of that box. When I see somebody smile, that means I have value. I contribute something."
Michael believes diversity is what makes MPNH special, especially for seniors.
"For them, coming to Canada is like … they start seeing people from India, from Brazil – it really makes them feel like they're back to some childhood memory."
Michael has seven grandchildren of his own. Sometimes he looks at the kids at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House and thinks how fortunate they are to have this environment.
"That period when kids grow up, they really need company and a healthy environment.” Michael says. “This is the value of the Neighborhood House. It's amazing."
Michael hopes MPNH will always be a foundation for communities to grow and thrive.
He says, “Let's not forget where we come from and what's important for us as human beings: connecting with community, with family."
Story written by Carrie Keen through an interview with a Community Board Member and volunteer during her practicum placement at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.
50 Stories for 50 Years at MPNH is a collection of meaningful stories that celebrate the lasting impact our Neighbourhood House has had over the years. These stories come from long-time participants, families, youth, volunteers, community members, and regular visitors whose lives have been touched, supported, or transformed through our programs, services, and connections at the House.
