Michael Nelson's llife began in a small Housing Commission home in 1955 (baby boomer generation), to a low income working-class family in the SE suburbs of Melbourne. He had one older and one younger brother (deceased) and two older sisters. His family religion was Roman Catholic, and he attended an RC primary school and a public secondary school.
At 16 years old, he started a radio apprenticeship and worked for an electronics manufacturer for four years and then joined the RAAF. He left the RAAF after six years and worked in the computer industry for several years as a computer technician and then later became a sales engineer for various technical equipment companies. At 50 years of age, he began study as a Counsellor and completed a counselling degree in 2010.
As a counsellor, Michael worked with various clients with mental health issues and marriage problems. It was during this time as a counsellor that he gained knowledge and experience working with persons at risk of suicide. He is now retired from the workforce.