Pre-Crash: When Walt was a baby, his mother, Susan Lloyd, told Michael that she was leaving him and taking Walt. She moved out of the country, and Michael fought for custody, but eventually gave up. Though he wrote to Walt all the time, Susan hid the letters from Walt.

When Walt was ten, Susan died, and Walt's stepfather, Brian Porter, didn't want Walt and flew to the U.S. to tell Michael to go to Australia and get Walt.

Michael went to get Walt and began the parenting struggle. They were flying home on Flight 815.

Island: Michael struggled to form a relationship with Walt. They often fought, and Michael was jealous of Walt's relationship with Locke.

Michael built a raft that could carry four people so that they could sail off to find rescue. He, Walt, Sawyer, and Jin sailed away on the raft, but Walt was stolen by pirates who blew up the raft. On pieces of the raft, Sawyer and Michael washed up on shore and met the Tailies. They eventually reunited with the other group of survivors.