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– Hunter S. Thompson
If anyone embodied that sentiment, it was my friend, Bruce Johnson.
Bruce passed away this weekend after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Usually, when someone passes, many people reflexively speak kindly of them in ways that can sometimes ring hollow or seem too good to be true, except with Bruce, it’s very different. Few people earn all the praise and kind words sent their way, but Bruce was different.
There are good men, and then there are the Bruce Johnsons of the world. The true one-of-ones.
Although unassuming, his light and personality quickly filled every room he entered. He carried himself with a unique and unmistakable combination of warmth, compassion and a glint of mischief in his eyes. He easily offered a laugh, cracked a genuine smile, and went beyond small talk to ask questions that revealed a real interest in your life and well-being. If you were lucky enough to spend five minutes with Bruce, you left feeling like you made a friend for life.
If there was an adventure, he was in. If someone told him he couldn’t, he dug in harder. He lived at full tilt with the kind of unabashed joy most people would be lucky to brush up against a few times in their lives.
His greatest achievement, outside of the family he and his wife Mary raised together, was his contribution to Children’s Miracle Network, and inspiring others, amounting to more than $1 million raised for the Alyssa Rae Johnson Fund at SickKids Hospital and countless donations to children’s hospitals across Canada and the United States.
The passionate dedication to Children’s Miracle Network and children’s hospitals was born from the tragic loss of his daughter, Alyssa, after only 20 days of life, and carried out with the devotion only a man like Bruce could muster. He and his daughter, Holly, rode his motorcycle across countries and continents, stopping at brokerages, homes of countless friends, and children’s hospitals, rallying support for his cause at every stop along the way.
He knew who he was, and he loved the lane he was in. I once asked him about a piece of land as an investment in his beloved Wasaga Beach trading area, and Bruce didn’t hesitate: “Andrew, I’m the fun Realtor. If you want a place to have a jet ski and a good time, I’m your guy. If you’re looking for an investment, I’d have to send you to someone else.”
That was Bruce, honest, confident, comfortable in his own skin, joyful and authentic.
He shaped every community he was a part of. He showed up everywhere and for everyone who needed it. While his accomplishments are many, none were more important to him than his wife, Mary, and daughters, Holly and Jocelyn.
In the last few months, he and I had brainstormed about some ways to raise money for the Alyssa Rae Johnson Fund. When the time is right and when we’ve had more time to process all that has happened, there will be more information forthcoming. The work he started hasn’t ended with him. We carry the torch in his name, and we’ve only just begun.
One thing Bruce taught me I will always remember is this: Take the trip, make the call, say yes to adventure. Don’t wait for the perfect time, as it rarely ever comes.
We could all be a little more like Bruce and enjoy the ride the way he did.
Andrew Fogliato – The G is silent – is the owner of Real Estate Magazine and Just Sell Homes. He mostly talks about marketing but sometimes ventures into other topics in the real estate world. Sometimes he also writes bios in the 3rd person.