Michael Dadich from Aftermath was an American author born in 1969. He was best known for his books, The Silver Sphere and The Cistern Mission: a short story, both of which relatively brought him into the limelight. Dadich was 51 years old when he died of a brain aneurysm on June 23, 2020.
The producers of the horror film Aftermath dedicated the movie to Dadich, and the gesture drew attention to the identity of the author as fans and viewers became keen to know more about him. Here’s all there is to know about Michael Dadich.
Michael Dadich Kept A Low Profile
But for the brief dedication in Aftermath, there probably would be no need for this article because despite being an author, Michael Dadich kept a relatively low profile that kept the media and the general public in the dark about his early life and early family background.
However, information about his death has provided an assumed glimpse into what his early life was like. Given that he died at the age of 51 in 2020, it is almost certain that Michael Dadich was born sometime between 1968 and 1969. Nevertheless, his place of birth is unknown, but it has been confirmed that he is an American citizen who belongs to the white ethnic group.
In addition to the unknown bits and pieces of his early life, not much is known about the other members of Michael Dadich’s birth family, including his parents and any siblings he might have had. Being an author meant that Dadich must have attained the highest level of formal education, but the details have hitherto remained unknown to the media and the public.
Michael Dadich’s Work as an Author Earned Respect
Having reiterated the fact that Michael Dadich was an author throughout this article, it becomes relevant to provide some context into the scope of his work as an author. According to sources close to the late author, he started creative writing when he was around eight years old.
It would appear that he retained that passion for the rest of his existence and left a legacy, albeit a small one. Of the written works that have earned respect, accolades, and recognition of his works from peers and critics alike.
Years before his sad demise, Michael Dadich had already made good on his much-touted potential as an author. He will forever remain synonymous with The Kin Chronicles, a published work of art that contained two codependent titles, “The Silver Sphere” and the prequel “The Cistern Mission.”
Published on December 7, 2012, The Silver Sphere is a young adult fantasy/sci-fi novel that follows the magical silver sphere, which is an armillary device created by the Truth Seekers, the celestial protectors of the universe. It also follows the character of Shelby Pardow, who finds herself on the planet Azimuth by teleporting while trying to evade her father.
The Michael Dadich’s Silver Sphere won a litany of awards, including
- GOLD MEDAL: Mom’s Choice Awards – Young Adult Fantasy
- GOLD MEDAL: Wise Bear Books – Young Adult Fantasy (General + Adventure)
- GOLD MEDAL: Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – Young Adult Fantasy
- WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement: Fall 2013 – Fantasy
- WINNER: Beverly Hills Book Awards 2014 – Young Adult Fiction
- WINNER: National Indie Excellence Book Awards 2014 – Fantasy
- BRONZE MEDAL: Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards – Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Despite speaking about plans to release book two of the Kin Chronicles titled The Sinister Kin, Dadich’s health challenges meant he couldn’t get around to it. He did, however, deliver The Cistern Mission, a short story that served as a prequel to The Silver Sphere.
Michael Dadich Became Popular When Aftermath was Dedicated To Him
Michael Dadich became posthumously famous as a result of the beautiful gesture of dedicating the movie Aftermath to him. It was a gesture that was fostered through his relationship with the movie’s producer and director Peter Winther who described Dadich as a close friend whose death hurt badly.
Despite claiming that he lacked words to describe the depth of his emotions following the demise of his dear friend Dadich, Winther managed to pen a substantial tribute that described the life-changing attributes of the late author on his Instagram page.
Aftermath is Based on Real-Life Events, But Not Michael Dadich’s
Aftermath found its way to Netflix in 2021, and one of the things that caught the attention of the viewing public is the film’s opening statement about the film being based on real-life events. There is also the fact that the leading couple in the horror film, Kevin and Natalie, share the same surname as Michael Dadich.
Just before the credits rolled at the end of the film, the dedication to Michael Dadich popped up, and that piece of information led a few people to the conclusion that the film depicted the events of the life of the late author.
As we have seen, Dadich’s involvement in the movie is a result of his connection to the film’s producer/director Peter Winther. Aftermath tells the story of a couple, Kevin and Natalie Dadich, who move into a house tainted by suicide and death and later get to be involved in horrific experiences as a result.
Nevertheless, it is important to assert the fact the 2021 horror film was indeed based on real-life events, the real-life experiences of a California couple named Jerry Rice and Janice Ruhter. According to several verified accounts, the couple went through similar experiences as Kevin and Natalie
ABC News revealed that Jerry and Janice moved into an elegant property in San Diego in 2011 with a kid and another one on the way. Not long after they moved in, some unknown individual made it a mission to destabilize the family’s lives.
Similar to Kevin and Natalie Dadich, Jerry and Janice became recipients of magazines they did not order, their house was put up for sale on a real estate website by someone not them, and another placed an ad online that portrayed Janice as an adult entertainer.
The only noticeable difference between what Janice and Jerry experienced is that the element of horror in Aftermath was absent. It didn’t make it any less terrifying.
How Did Michael Dadich Die?
Michael Dadich died of a brain aneurysm in his Los Angeles home on June 23, 2020. Before the aneurysm that eventually led to his relatively untimely death, the late author had suffered a previous brain aneurysm in 2012 while playing hockey. It occurred shortly after he had written a few hundred pages of the first draft of The Silver Sphere.
At the time, he said that the experience had taught him that life was fragile, and the uncertainty of it helped him decide to suspend writing and spend more time with his family. He also became actively involved in the community that saw him touch the lives of many around him, including his son’s and the lives of several others on the local youth sports teams he coached in Beverly Hills and California.
Before His Death, Michael Dadich was Happily Married
While it is true that the lives of the people who loved Michael Dadich have been affected by his passing, one would agree that no life has been more impacted than those of the wife and son he left behind.
Michael Dadich was happily married to Jenna Dadich at the time of his death. The late author’s proclivity toward privacy means that there is not much information about their marriage. Before his demise, Dadich and his wife managed to have a son together. He was named Jackson “Jax” Dadich.
