Michael S. Desharnais

Michael S. Desharnais, 30, of Leominster, took his own life on Tuesday May 28th, 2024 after a long, hard fought battle, with his mental health. He was a beloved husband, fur dad, son and friend who will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Michael was born in Fitchburg on August 11th, 1993. He had attended and graduated from Leominster High School where he was an avid athlete on several sports teams. He had played on a few different softball teams, which is how he and Kayleigh met. Little did they know that's where their story would start.
After high school, Michael worked full-time dabbling in a few different jobs along the way. During that time, he had been diagnosed with stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and was trying to navigate that news. Regardless of how tired or sick he felt, he continued to work hard to provide for his fiancée and fur babies at the time. Even adding college into the mix and started with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) online. Michael was a vessel of knowledge who was constantly grasping to learn anything and everything he could.
As his CKD progressed, he started dialysis which was no small feat after enduring all the complications that came his way. He had tough days but he tried his hardest to stay positive in hoping things would get better one day. He had been on dialysis for two years when his numbers declined pushing him into kidney failure. At that time he and his longtime fiancée, Kayleigh, finally got the chance to tie the knot in July of 2021.
Michael had also started a data entry specialist job with Community Health Connections in their substance use disorder clinic at that time. He was very computer savvy so entering data was a breeze for him, but he knew the importance of that data was to help support programs for people in need of services. He became very close with his coworkers over the next three years. They became friends that grew to love and support him.
After another year of dialysis and being on the transplant list, he got the call that a match for a kidney had been found. It was the best Christmas gift of 2022 that seemed to give him hope to finally feel better. With the fresh outlook on life he had decided that he wanted to pursue becoming a firefighter. He completed and passed the civil service test and enrolled himself into an emergency medical technician program. After tirelessly studying and training, he became a certified EMT in January 2024. He had been hired by the Lancaster Fire Department as an EMT, but sadly never got the chance to start.
Anyone who knew Michael knew he was genuine with one of the kindest souls to grace this earth. He was so loving and supportive whenever you needed him. The thoughtfulness this man exhibited made him so so special. He always enjoyed helping and giving advice to people who needed it. He was always putting people before himself because it was a distraction from his own demons. Making a difference in someone's life always made him so happy.
He had such a love for music, writing, reading, and crafting. He enjoyed spending time with his wife, friends and family. He adored his animals and was such a wonderful fur-dad! Michael had a love for video games and after introducing them to his wife, it became a favorite pass time of theirs. His gaming community knew him by Astral Fiction. He loved gaming with people, talking with new people, and gaining a sense of friendship amongst the community.
Over the past year, Michael had been receiving help for his mental health. He consistently battled suicidal thoughts and even had a few attempts. He had been fighting so hard to better himself so he could have a chance to really live life and be happy. In the end, he sadly lost that battle so he could finally be at peace.
Michael is survived by his wife, Kayleigh Desharnais, the mother he wished he had, Kelly Joseph, father Christopher Desharnais and step mother Michelle Desharnais of Leominster, his brother Nathan Desharnais and his wife Chelsea Desharnais of North Carolina, along with aunts, uncles, cousins and so many friends who loved him beyond words.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider donating to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. AFSP Massachusetts | AFSP
A wake to celebrate Michael's life will be held on Monday, June 10th, 4pm-7pm in the funeral home.
Message & Resources from Astral Fiction: Hey Friend! Everyone feels a little sad or anxious sometimes, or maybe you have a mental health diagnosis. Although gaming can be a good way to escape reality, make sure to take care of yourself and your mental health IRL! Here are some wonderful resources to check out! (it's pretty cool, these resources are for gamers!): https://checkpointorg.com/ https://www.takethis.org/
Also some not gamer specific but very useful resources: https://samaritanshope.org/
https://988lifeline.org/
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741-741 Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
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