Summer Theresa Johnson

Gone, but never Forgotten. SummerStrong

Summer was a vivacious, driven woman. She had a force that was awe inspiring and she created artwork that was simply stunning. We met through a Brain Cancer support group on Facebook and became fast friends. She was simply lovely and during the year we were friends we made some pretty big plans for the future. Her energy and desire to help other survivors, combined with her amazing artwork, resulted in her award of our Ram Scholarship for the Arts for 2017.



Her plan was to make cards for other survivors and we had been deep in talks to bring back Cards for Cancer and eventually Spirit Jump again. She was very excited to hear all about these programs and I was excited to work with her. We even talked about me making a trip over to her state to do a card party together. She spoke about how excited she was because she had lots of little ones in her family and knew many teachers who would love to get involved. Sadly, we never got to achieve any of our plans as she was taken way too soon.



We had long Facebook conversations, where she expressed her concerns about her treatment, the well being of her primary caregiver, her fiancé, whom she loved so much, our doggies, art, and just life in general. I will miss our conversations. Our last conversation was about her upcoming surgery for hydrocephalus and a cyst that had “decided to move into her brain.” She was very calm about it and it was just another task to tackle. She was more worried about getting me the receipts for the supplies she bought from the scholarship. I reminded her to take time for herself, that they weren’t important. She had an amazing spirit like that, she always thought of others. When I found out she had passed I was shocked. I was convinced she would get better. It took me awhile to think of how to properly write about her. We have lost an amazing member of our ECOG family, but we know the people who loved her most are suffering from a devastating loss to their world.



I started Deathly Hallows the night I found out she had passed and I found this quote from the book quite comforting and I hope it helps other as well.

Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass, they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal.

William Penn, More Fruits of Solitude

You will be so missed Summer. I will treasure your kind words to me and your support even through your own rough journey. I will never forget that, or you.

Sending my love out into the universe for you, Always, Jetty

Please take a moment to appreciate some of Summer’s amazing artwork

Click to see larger versions of the artwork