Remarkable Lives: John McManus in conversation with Jerome Carson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of John McManus. Design/methodology/approach John provides a short life history and is then interviewed by Jerome. Findings John tells us about the insidious development of his illness and how for many years it was masked by substance abuse. Research limitations/implications As Patricia Deegan has stated, “Each person’s journey of recovery is unique” (Deegan, 1996). That is why we can learn so much from case studies like John’s. Practical implications John’s account shows the value of Early Intervention Teams. The service he received from his local team was “second to none”. Social implications John talks about the value of volunteering and how it helped him believe that he could once more play a constructive role in life. Originality/value There is no doubt that John benefitted from support from professionals, experts by experience and his family. Equally he was also open to all these sources of support.