Connie Johnson’s funeral: Husband Mike Johnson’s touching tribute

THE Project co-host Carrie Bickmore has fought back tears as she farewelled her friend Connie Johnson at a packed public funeral.

SHARING his wife with the entire country was not Mike Johnson’s first choice in life.

But the husband of Connie Johnson, who died earlier this month at age 40 after a lifelong battle with cancer, says his wife’s brave decision to live out her final years in public was what got her through her darkest days.

Mr Johnson received a standing ovation before giving an emotional eulogy at his wife’s public funeral on Saturday, at a packed St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, as hundreds of her loyal supporters turned out to celebrate her life.

The family held a private funeral on Monday in Canberra.

“I knew Connie for 18 years and for almost half of that, she had cancer. Cancer loved Connie. Connie hated cancer,” Mr Johnson said.

In a heartbreaking revelation, he explained that the couple’s wish to have a third child — they have two sons, Willoughby, 11, and Hamilton, 10 — was thwarted by cancer.

“What we thought was a baby in her womb, turned out to be a tumour in her womb,” Mr Johnson said.

“We had to walk from maternity to oncology. It took a lot for Con to come back from blows like that that,” he said.

“Her body was like a cancer fun park. All we could do was prolong her journey — there was no happy ending. She was not going to beat it this time.

“There were many times when I thought she was beaten. Because along with the physical pain came an emotional battle, a mental torment that would leave her in bed. Some days, the fight was not there. It looked like she was losing.”

Connie' husband Mike talks at the Connie Johnson Memorial at St Pauls Cathederal in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

Supporters attend a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral for breast cancer crusader Connie Johnson. Picture: Joe Castro

But the support from Connie’s Love Your Sister charity and its “villagers”, as its supporters are proudly referred to, is what boosted her morale, Mr Johnson said.

“Connie had to look beyond her own cancer and her own diagnosis … she had to rise above this pain and sadness,” he said.

“I would like to say to anyone who supported Connie: it mattered. Every thought, click prayer, it all counted.

“I saw Connie on dark, dark days and I saw you make her smile. I saw you light her up on days when nothing else was going to do it. So thank you so much for taking our Con into your hearts and wrapping your arms around this amazing woman.”

He said Connie was driven by an “obsession” with talking about cancer and raising awareness, in the hope it would stop even one other family “from going through the horrors that we lived with day by day.”

“I saw this woman so weighed down by cancer and still have the ability to lift so many of us up,” Mr Johnson said.

“Even today, by actively dying, Con was able to teach so many of us about actively living.

“[She was] a storm thundering into hearts across the nation, banging on doors, shaking on windows, saying ‘Wake up, live now, for now is awesome’.

“Even through crippling pain … there were times when she could hardly stand … connie could still find the now is awesome. If she could find it, then we have no excuses. She showed us how to do it — to live, laugh and don’t be afraid.”

Connie watches brother Samuel Johnson take out the Gold Logie. Supplied: Love Your Sister/ Facebook.

Connie Johnson Memorial at St Pauls Cathederal in Melbourne. Saturday, Sept 23. 2017. Pictur: David Crosling

Connie’s close friends and family members, also gave heartwarming eulogies during her service.

The Project host Carrie Bickmore, who has been mates with Connie and actor brother Samuel for years, broke down as she gave her eulogy.

“She’s taught us to cherish being a mum, to have time being silly with the kids. I’ve played a bit longer each time with my kids, thinking how lucky we are as mums to be able to play with our kids,” Bickmore said.

“She’s taught us what it’s truly like to have cancer. She’s taught us all how to be a bloody good human being.”

Yet mostly the mood inside the church was bright and jovial, as attendees followed the advice written on the service booklet — “this is not a funeral”.

“This is not a funeral,” said event MC and ABC radio host Myf Warhurst, echoing the sentiment.

“Today we go beyond the sound bites, beyond the brother and sister, beyond the mother and advocate. Connie was a complete stranger to us, but we grew to know her so well,” Ms Warhurst said.

Massive queue already snaking around Swanson St outside St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne for Connie Johnson's funeral #LoveForConnie pic.twitter.com/2rihPcuSkI

— Rebecca Sullivan (@beck_sullivan) September 23, 2017

Hundreds of (mostly) women here for #LoveForConnie. Sam Johnson hugging well wishers. Mood unlike most funerals - jovial, happy, bright. pic.twitter.com/z0wDIqomx0

— Rebecca Sullivan (@beck_sullivan) September 23, 2017

During her final days, Connie was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her tireless work to raise millions of dollars for cancer research.

The Love Your Sister charity has raised more than $14 million towards cancer research.

In 2013, Connie’s younger brother Samuel Johnson rode 16,000km on a unicycle around Australia, raising almost $1.5 million.

— To donate visit loveyoursister.org or join the conversation on Facebook

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