George Michael Todd, Jr., a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan and made it his life’s mission to help other veterans through music recorded under the names Mik and Doc Todd, has died. He was 38. Todd died in Atlanta on May 12. The cause of death was “sudden cardiac death,” his wife Abigail told NPR.
Todd was born in Memphis on Feb. 16, 1985, according to his obituary. After graduating from Christian Brothers High School in 2003, he chose to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and joined the U.S. Navy in 2006. He earned the nickname “Doc” because he served as a medic. He was a Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines Infantry Unit (America’s Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina).
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Todd and his fellow Marines were deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in the summer of 2009 for Operation Khanjar, the largest aerial deployment of Marine Corps troops since the Vietnam War. “He kept his Marines’ spirits up with his uncanny wit and freestyle raps. He gave it his all and nearly died with a severe illness forcing him home,” his obituary notes. “His wounds were not visible, but the pain of losing friends and leaving the fight alone changed him forever.”
When he came home, Todd had PTSD. He used GI Bill benefits to get a bachelor’s degree in economics and public policy from Georgia State University. In 2017, he released the album Combat Medicine, which features the song “Not Alone.” In his lyrics, he urged veterans to get help for their mental health. The song is about “taking charge of your life, taking charge of your transition” from combat zone to civilian life, Todd told NPR in 2017.
Todd didn’t seek help for his PTSD for several years. He turned to drinking heavily before realizing he could use his rap skills for good. He quit his job as a money manager and pursued a music career. He believed telling the truth without “coddling” veterans was the best way to convince them to get help. “We have to be responsible for empowering our own lives,” he told NPR. “And it doesn’t really help when the overwhelming narrative is victimization and brokenness.”
Abigail and Todd met at a bar in Atlanta a few months before he was deployed. She survives him, as well as their two daughters, Savannah and Audrey. During his funeral, Abigail read one of the letters he wrote her while in Afghanistan. “I dream about you almost every night. You soothed me so much and turned my nervous energy into something positive. You make me a better person, and I thank you deeply for that,” Todd wrote. “It’s crazy. No matter how much I wash my feet, they still stink. I just wanted to tell you that. I don’t know why.”
Those who knew Todd shared memories on social media. “Man, I’m at an absolute loss for words. Doc was one of the most talented artists I’ve ever had the privilege to make music with. And his soul was even better than his music,” one person wrote on Todd’s Instagram page. “I’m terribly sorry to hear of his passing. I will forever cherish his work and his service.”
