About Us

Light Up The Dead: A Manifesto for Warriors Who Refuse to Stay Down

Oct 11, 2025

By Mike Ruggiero

I’m not a therapist. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a guru with all the answers.

I’m a landscaper from Bangor, Pennsylvania who built nearly $1 million in revenue between 2019 and 2025 after cancer, addiction, and three prison stints. I’m someone who was told—directly and indirectly—that my past, my mistakes, and my wiring meant I had a ceiling on what I could achieve.

I rejected that ceiling. And I’m here to tell you that you can too.

The Problem I See

Too many systems meant to help us end up caging us instead. Not because they’re evil, but because they often focus on managing what’s broken rather than building what’s possible.

You become “the addict in recovery.”

“The ex-con trying to stay clean.”

“The ADHD kid who can’t focus.”

“The person with [diagnosis] who needs to accept limitations.”

These labels aren’t lies—they’re just incomplete truths. And when they become your identity rather than just part of your story, they dim the fire that could fuel your transformation.

I’ve sat in groups where dwelling on trauma was encouraged more than building toward tomorrow. I’ve been prescribed medications that helped, and others that numbed me into compliance. I’ve watched talented people accept less than they’re capable of because someone with a degree told them that was “realistic.”

I’m not anti-help. I’m anti-cage.

What This Platform Is

Light Up The Dead is my accountability journal that you’re invited to read. It’s where I process my battles, share what’s working in building businesses and beating demons, and hold myself to the standards I’m setting.

This is for:

• People rebuilding after hitting bottom
• Entrepreneurs fighting their own minds while building their dreams
• Anyone tired of being defined by their worst moments
• Warriors who need to hear from someone who’s actually in the arena, not theorizing from the sidelines
  

What I Believe (And What I’m Still Figuring Out)

What I know for certain:

• Your past mistakes don’t define your future capacity
• You can honor your struggles without being imprisoned by them
• Transformation requires action, not just insight
• The fire inside you is real, even if others can’t see it
• Daily choices compound into destiny
• You need community, not isolation
• Accountability beats motivation every time

What I’m still learning:

• How to balance building businesses with maintaining peace
• When to push through and when to rest
• How to help without preaching
• How to stay humble while staying hungry

What This Isn’t

This is NOT:

• Medical or mental health advice (talk to actual doctors)
• A replacement for therapy or treatment you need
• A promise that my path is your path
• A claim that willpower alone solves everything
• A judgment of people who need medication or therapy

This IS:

• Raw stories from the battlefield of rebuilding
• Tactical strategies that worked for me (and some that didn’t)
• Accountability for myself and community for others
• Proof that transformation is possible when you refuse to quit
• Permission to want more than your labels suggest you deserve

The Hard Truth I’ve Learned

Therapy helped me understand my patterns. Medication helped me stabilize when I needed it. My AA sponsor gave me tools that saved my life. Professional help has its place.

But at some point, understanding why you fell has to give way to building the strength to climb. At some point, managing symptoms has to evolve into pursuing purpose. At some point, you have to stop preparing for life and start living it.

That transition—from surviving to thriving, from managing to building, from “person with problems” to “warrior with scars”—that’s what Light Up The Dead is about.

My Commitment to You (and to Myself)

I will:

• Share what’s real, not what sounds good
• Admit when I’m struggling, not just when I’m winning
• Focus on practical action, not empty motivation
• Build a community, not a following
• Hold myself accountable to the standards I preach
• Never tell you to reject help you genuinely need
• Always encourage you to work with professionals while also pursuing your potential

The Invitation

If you’re tired of being defined by your diagnosis, your past, or other people’s expectations…

If you’ve got fire in you that others can’t see…

If you’re ready to rebuild, not just recover…

Join me.

Not because I have all the answers, but because we’re better together than alone.

Subscribe for weekly letters from the arena. Real battles. Real strategies. Real transformation.

Let’s light up those dead spaces and prove that rock bottom can be the foundation for something unshakeable.

Welcome to the fire.

Important: This platform shares personal experiences and perspectives on transformation, business building, and overcoming adversity. It is not a substitute for professional medical, mental health, or legal advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding health, mental health, and treatment decisions. If you’re in crisis, reach out to appropriate crisis services immediately.