Blake Allen Johnson

Our son Blake was born on April 9, 1981. Even in the beginning he was in a hurry to get here. We just barely made it to the delivery room. His dad was still putting on his gown when he was born just a couple of minutes after midnight. He probably wanted to be the first one born that day.

Through a difficult time of losing Blake we are thankful to be able to carry out Blake's decision to be an organ donor.

He was a free spirit, pushing things to the limit, running on the edge. He did not like boundaries, limits, rules, regulations and an occasional law. He especially took stock in defying the law of gravity. He liked to fly, whether it was up a mountain on a snowmobile, over the mountain in a plane, down the mountain on skis, or across the lake on a jet ski. Even on horse back across the field he would fly with his legs flailing at the sides making it look like the wings of Pegasus. Always with total abandonment, smiling from ear to ear, throwing his head back and laughing. When he was little, we called him, “Guy Smiley” after the Sesame Street muppet character.

Blake was a giving boy. Giving love and laughter to everyone. He loved giving time to help out his grandparents or just stopping to help our neighbors. Small children were drawn to him. Blake’s biggest gift to us was laughter. Laughter is healing.

Blake’s greatest gift was himself. At the age of 14 -15 years he registered to be an organ donor on his license. As his parents we did not realize this until he was in the hospital and we were shown his drivers license. We realized what an important decision this was and so our family unamiously agreed to follow through with his decision. By his decision he chose to become an organ donor. He has saved and enriched other people’s lives. He is our Hero.