Yarrabah son honoured by mother fulfilling shared dream
When Thaddeaus Johnson died watching football his mother could have given up – instead she's created an extraordinary legacy to her food-loving son by fulfilling their shared dream.
A mother who lost her son to a sudden heart attack has honoured his memory by opening a cafe that brings their shared dream to life.
Yarrabah man Thaddeaus (Thaddo) Johnson was just 27-years-old when he fell to the ground while watching the Dirringhi rugby league game at Gordonvale in 2023.
He died two days later.
Now, his mother Elverna Johnson has turned her pain into a remarkable homage to her “gifted” child.
Ms Johnson said her son was a musician, talented athlete and “funny” man who was loved by the entire community.
But above all he was passionate about food.
“We always looked forward to his meals, when he cooked dinner for us,” she said.
“Sometimes we never knew what he was going to do because he would just create his own recipes.
“He loved spicy food and flavours and would create really dishes around hot and spicy food.”
The pair always dreamed of opening a cafe at Ms Johnson’s Paper Bark art studio in Yarrabah.
The artist decided the most fitting way to remember her son would be to honour his dream.
“We often talked about setting something up for him to manage and something of his own around food so I thought, well, I wanted to continue on with that idea for him,” she said.
“I felt that it was something that I wanted to do to honor him, to remember him, but also as part of my healing journey as well.
“Most people going through something like that just want to give up, I didn’t feel like that was what my son would want me to do.”
Thaddo’s Cafe officially opened last Saturday to a crowd of family, friends and customers.
The decked out food truck is serves drinks and light meals with plans to expand their menu.
Ms Johnson said since the opening, she received her first sign of her son since his death.
“I was sitting here at the space where we have the cafe ... it was the first time I kind of had a sign that he was around since he passed away,” she said.
“This butterfly came around and sort of flew around the van, came around me and my niece, and it came and sat on my shoulder.
“I knew in my spirit that this was a sign that he was around and that he was happy.”
“In some weird way it was like everything was okay.”
Thaddo’s Cafe is located at Back Beach Road and is open 9am to 5pm on Monday to Friday.
Originally published as Yarrabah son honoured by mother fulfilling shared dream
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