Connie’s last moments: ‘She went out on top’

SAMUEL Johnson has opened up for the first time about his sister’s final moments in an emotional interview on The Project.

SAMUEL Johnson has opened up about his sister Connie’s final moments before she died from breast cancer, saying she “went out on top”.

The well-known actor turned face of the Love Your Sister charity appeared on The Project in his first media appearance since Connie’s death just over a week ago.

The live interview followed a private funeral for Connie, which Samuel said went perfectly.

“It was beautiful, it was exactly how she planned it,” he said.

“It seems weird to apply the word ‘perfect’ to a funeral, but it was perfect.”

Samuel said “all things considered” he was doing “really well”, and assured that Connie’s husband and children were also faring well.

“Mike’s strong, he proved that today, he’s a good man,” he said.

“And those kids are covered. Don’t worry about those kids mate, they’ll be fine”.

Connie’s death came after the mother of two young boys was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her tireless work to raise millions of dollars for cancer research through the charity.

Though he said the work was “not about trophies” Samuel described just how special that final honour really was.

Actor Samuel Johnson and his sister Connie Johnson, who has breast cancer.

Connie, the day she received the medal in recognition of her tireless work for breast cancer research. Picture: AAP Image/Facebook, Love Your Sister

“We all know that trophies and accolades aren’t what it’s about, but to have that recognition not just for the citizens, but then from the Government of Australia, she was over the moon. It was perfect for all of us,” he said.

“After that, we had about half an hour together of laughing and whatnot. She fell asleep and never woke up.

“She went out on top. She went out on the toppest of the top.

“I’m so proud of her. She did so good, didn’t she?”

Samuel opened up about Connie’s final moments further in an interview with Mamamia’s No Filterpodcast.

He described how he and fellow family members had rushed the process to have Connie awarded what is traditionally an Australia Day honour, knowing she wouldn’t have lived to see the January ceremony.

After being alerted the committee was considering Connie for the honour and knowing it couldn’t be awarded posthumously, Samuel said he had almost given up on the idea of his sister being given the award because she had already entered the “actively dying phase” and didn’t have the time or the energy to fill out the paperwork.

Samuel Johnson said Connie ‘went out on top’. Picture: Channel 10

However, a call from Governor-General Peter Cosgrove’s office on the Thursday before she died changed everything.

“He just came in on the DL and just rushed over and brought like four people, and literally rushed straight to her bedside,” he said.

“It looks like the smallest smile when you watch the video back but it was ear-to-ear on the inside. She just didn’t have the energy to move her face.

“It was perfect. Every part of it was perfect. She woke up for it, she heard every word.”

Samuel told The Project audience he planned to share the entire video of those last touching moments online, to allow Connie’s “village” to experience how special it was.

Reflecting on what he’d learnt from his sister, Samuel said it took for her to die for him to really learn from her.

“All the lessons are just coming quick and strong ... Really only in her absence that her lessons have become most profound,” he said.

“I thought that our quest to raise $10 million was it. I thought my role now was to be the chief custodian of Connie’s legacy. I’ve realised now that if I think that, I haven’t learnt the lessons.”

Samuel said he was appointing himself “head of cancer vanquishment” in Australia.

“I’ve realised it’s not about $10 million, it’s about solving this problem we call cancer,” he said.

He went on to issue a “friendly warning” to anyone with influence, leverage, money and power, that he was “coming to get them” in the name of finding a cure for cancer.

Samuel Johnson with his sick sister Connie in February 2017. Picture: Love your sister/Facebook

Samuel quit acting and rode a unicycle around Australia to raise money for cancer research in communities across Australia, and together with Connie has helped Love Your Sister to one of the nation’s most recognised charities.

But, he says, he know feels he’s been a bit soft.

“I really want to amp it up now,” he said.

“I’m learning a lot of lessons and I’m learning that maybe I’ve been playing the small game.

“I’ve realised this isn’t the end. I’ve realised this is just the beginning, mate. She was training her little brother up to do the work since she was gone.”

Visibly holding back tears, host Carrie Bickmore told Samuel he had the nation behind him.

“What you’ve achieved together, in the face of what you’ve been through together, you’re just phenomenal,” she said.

“I’ve got no words for this, it’s incredibly sad. She was a wonderful woman, and she’s left an incredible legacy, and we’re all going to do everything we can.”

The Project co-hosts Waleed Aly and Carrie Bickmore were visibly moved during Samuel’s emotional interview. Picture: Channel 10