Help Michal raise money

On February 20, 2022, at age 34, I suffered full cardiac arrest after my third Moderna COVID-19 vaccine dose. My heart stopped, ejection fraction dropped to 20%, troponin spiked ~400× normal, and I required ECMO for 7 days to survive fulminant histiocytic myocarditis. I spent weeks in ICU and a total of 54 days hospitalized, battling multi-organ failure that brought me to the very edge of death. But I survived: watch my recovery video.

Seven months later, I married Alejandra, who stood by me every single day. She now helps lead the Intensive Care Survivors' Relatives Peer Support Group and will walk alongside the Critical Illness Recovery Center (CIRC) team in the marathon. CIRC was a lifeline after discharge — connecting me to others who truly understood, restoring hope, and showing me that survival could still mean a full, meaningful life. Today my heart function is 76% (near normal). We’re building a family, and I’m rebuilding myself. Sometimes the worst moments spark something entirely new.

When I recovered enough, I realized my medical records were scattered across systems. I collected over 2,000 documents (ICU notes, biopsies, imaging, labs, prescriptions) and built an AI system that unifies them into one searchable, fully sourced timeline. I then developed an autonomous genomic analysis engine that merges this timeline with my DNA, continuously scanning global databases to generate and test hypotheses about what happened, and potentially prevent — similar rare events in others.

I’m an entrepreneur and technologist driven to turn a near-fatal experience into answers that matter. If this work leads to better understanding or protective steps for even a small number of people at similar risk, then my survival will have gained lasting purpose.

Running 10 km with CIRC won’t compare to surviving ECMO, but finishing alongside the MUHC community will be proof that recovery means becoming more than we were before. If my story resonates with you, and you want to help sustain the extraordinary work of the CHUM, MUHC and CIRC teams — supporting survivors and their families every day — please consider donating. ❤️

With deep gratitude,
Michal Birecki