One man living 3 lives

Kathryn Nickell

The event also had silent and live auctions, with prizes including local art, a trip to the Bahamas, Detroit Red Wings tickets, Michigan football tickets, a private fivecourse meal for four prepared by a local chef, and much more.

Friends and families of the community came together to raise money and support the organization while enjoying a fun night out.

All funds raised at the event will go towards the Disability Network’s independent living support, community support and transitions, peer support, and skills development.

Through a variety of services, the DNMM provides assistance to people with disabilities, their families, and the community. Services include in-home services, information and referrals, nursing home transition, independent living support, STAGES youth program, peer groups and mentoring, and advocacy.

In 2020, the DNMM provided services to 734 people with disabilities. In addition, they reached 43,651 people throughout the region through community activities and have provided referrals and information to over 3,369 Michigan Residents.

MIDLAND – Kevin Spiker, 36, from Bay City, was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously called multiple personality disorder, in 2021. He identifies his personalities as “The Three.”

“Kevin is me,” Spiker explained. “The always happy-go-lucky personality. Eursic is the dick. He is always defensive and on guard. Eursic likes to take over in situations where Kevin would be too nice. And my third is Mr. Understanding. He always tries to help both Kevin and Eursic. He wants to help calm the arguments and battles in my head.”

Even though Spiker was just officially diagnosed with DID last year, he knows he has had it since he was a little kid.

“In my household growing up, kids were only meant to be seen, not heard. I ended up talking to myself in my head as an outlet,” Spiker said. “We lived in a 2-bedroom trailer. My sisters got a bedroom, and I was made to sleep on the kitchen floor next to the dog food dish and cat litter box, with my feet at the stove.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, DID affects between 0.01 and 1% of the population. It can occur at any age and is usually the result of sexual or physical abuse during childhood. The disorder is a way for someone to distance or detach themselves from trauma.

“There was a lot of abuse growing up, but Eursic kept me safe,” Spiker shared. “I never had anyone to stick up for me as a child, but he always did.”

Spiker is aware when the personalities switch but says there is no way to stop it. “The Three” all share the same thoughts no matter who is in charge, but he can not control the functions or words being said anymore.

“It feels like a wave coming up from the bottom of your stomach,” Spiker said. “You can’t control it. You just have to take a backseat.”

When asked which of “The Three” was currently in control and speaking, Spiker said, “Mr. Understanding.”

Spiker’s moods, actions, and words are not the only things that change when his personalities switch, his eyes also change colors. Kevin has light blue, Eursic has dark blue, and Mr. Understanding has grey eyes.

Spiker does not feel like he can tell many people about his disorder. That most won’t understand or end up only liking one of “The Three.”

“Whenever I tell someone I have three different people in my body, they think that I am nuts. They think I must be schizophrenic, or that I see people,” Spiker said. “But I don’t see people, there’s just a switch. But that’s hard for people to understand.”

Luckily, Spiker found someone who is accepting and understanding of his disorder. Crystal Acord, 43, from Midland, has been dating Spiker since July 2022.

Spiker shared his diagnosis with Acord that August.

“I didn’t think he was crazy,” Acord replied in response to her first hearing about Spiker’s diagnosis. “I have obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and I’m manic; so I understand how a switch can happen."

Acord mentioned that she tries to continuously learn about DID by using Google to self-educate herself so she can better understand her boyfriend's mental health condition.

“I love him no matter what personality he is in," Acord concluded. “I love all three.”