The New Orleans Athletic Club is proud to have worked with such an accomplished, driven, and uplifting person as Jeremy Johnson. Professionally, he was a beloved Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach, Massage Therapist, and Entrepreneur; personally he was an uplifting light to all those with whom he interacted. His many years at the NOAC have touched more lives than can be counted. Jeremy’s memory will forever live on, and we are grateful for the time we shared with him. To his family, friends, colleagues, and clients… our deepest condolences. We will miss him immensely, may his light continue to shine. 

In December 2014 my friend Beverly Morris and the entire Wild Lotus Yoga staff funded the planting of a new live oak tree in City Park in honor of Jeremy. The tree was planted along the Festival Grounds Trail accessible from Golf Drive. Amazingly, of all the 1300 acres of City Park, the tree was planted along a straight line view from DeSaix Blvd, the street where Jeremy's house is (the people who planted the tree had no idea.) Bruce and Mary mixed some of his ashes into the soil beneath the tree, and continue to tend to the tree adding sweet ornaments honoring Jeremy throughout the year. The tree is one of the touchstones where we go to celebrate the gift of Jeremy’s immense presence in our life, and it’s been wonderful to watch the tree grow stronger and bigger over the years as Jeremy’s spirit roots deeper and deeper into our hearts. On the Gallery page, you can see photos of the tree taken each year since it was first planted up until today. Friends and family, we hope you can make a trip to the Jeremy Tree. We know he would love that. 

On our way home from picking up Jeremy after his one semester at Oxford College of Emory University we passed through Plains, Ga.  President Jimmy Carter was in town that weekend where he frequently preaches at the local Baptist Church.  Afterwards he and Rosalyn allow pictures taken with them in the church yard.  Mary encouraged Jeremy to ask President Carter for his autograph (without thinking it through).  Reluctantly Jeremy did so, only to be politely turned down since Carter told him he does not do autographs. Jeremy then told Mary, “Thanks for embarrassing me in front of the President of the United States." 

Happy 44th Birthday, Jeremy!  I can imagine you saying, "I can't believe I'm 44!  Can you believe I'm 44, Mary?"

You left our family with so many memories....One is especially poignant particularly today on your birthday. Several years ago you stopped by Polk Street.  You were standing across from my shadow box hung on the wall. You were looking at all the mementos we had gathered over the years, from places you, Sean, and Matt had visited that were meaningful to us. All of a sudden I saw you move up as close as you could to examine something in the box.  You asked, "Who's Jenny?!"  I said, "What?"  (Years ago I bought three miniature coffee mugs with Sean's, Jeremy's, and Matt's names printed on them.  Apparently I didn't have my reading glasses on and mistook Jenny for Jeremy.)  You said, "You always wanted a Jenny!"  I said, "Oh, my god, Jeremy, I wouldn't trade you for all the Jennys in the world!"  I promptly replaced Jenny with Jeremy.  I hope you believed me then because I couldn't dream of a more loving and endearing child. 

Jeremy, we love you and miss you dearly.   

Jeremy,


You were always were intrigued by my stories of fishing days and the ocean.  I just returned from my dad's home town in Sumartin, Croatia.  When I look at the ocean, I think of your bright smile and hope you know the world is smiling at you. 

David Skansi  

Dear Jeremy--

Mary and Bruce have taken care of your live oak tree with so much love and care. They have watered it, fed it, and protected it-- the same way we all nurture and cherish the memories of the precious time with you deep in our hearts - your voice, charm, touch, humor, kindness, deep strength, and so much more. We miss you so deeply. 

As your live oak tree grows and thrives in City Park-- may our connection to your spirit continue to deepen. Thank you for continuing to inspire us through the mystery and pain of your passing, for giving us strength and courage, for making us laugh, and helping to guide our healing. We love you tremendously and are eternally grateful for the gift of your presence, seen and unseen.

(Friends and family, visit the gallery page to see how much the Jeremy Tree has grown since it was first planted in December 2014) 

Jeremy,   Three years might as well have been yesterday.  Your tree in City Park is thriving.  A wise bird has built her nest in your protective branches.  It's a paradox - that we miss you so deeply but feel your presence daily.  Love, Mary and Bruce

              Jeremy and I made films and Shows together with our cousins using our uncle’s Video camera such as, The Johnny Carson Show, 50 Way's to Kill a Foreigner, The Dating Game and 50 Way's to Kill a Foreigner 2.  Unfortunately all of it was lost in the devastation of Katrina.  But it was he and I working at our jobs that really has inspired me to make a movie based on the time we had together in the 90's.  At the video store we worked at in NOLA we had time to watch movies and nothing else, except discuss and argue about everything we saw.  We talked about acting, writing scripts, directing movies and all the things we wanted to accomplish together in film.  And then I dropped out of school and gave up on all of it...Jeremy continued on and graduated.  
                After we left the video store and school, he would try to inspire me by taking me with him on casting calls and extra rolls in movies.  He would tell me that I could use my voice to be a singer, a comedian, voice actor or  anything else in entertainment I put my mind to... but I didn't listen.  We started to drift apart only talking on the phone and seeing each other at holidays after Katrina.  He went on to accomplish his dream of being an actor and much more. I worked in restaurant management, construction and had four beautiful children.  Then Jeremy died and the universe changed.  
                It was like I have been asleep and now I'm awake. I feel inspired to pick up where I left off by Jeremy's memory and honor him with a film he would want to be a part of, so I’m making a mockumentary comedy spoof, based on our days together as video store clerks.  Yo Jeremy, I'm going to do it...all I want to do is go the distance.  Thank you Jeremy for trying to inspirie me then and continuing to inspire me every single day!

Jeremy's spirit lives on in so many ways. On April 30th Loyola University RecPlex, where Jeremy worked for 10 years, presented the first Jeremy Johnson Memorial Award For Extraordinary Dedication and Service to Loyola student Victoria Duhon, pictured in the photo.  We wish to thank Germayne Turner, Zach Bracey, and Mark Bush for establishing this honor in Jeremy's name. This is an award administered by the RecPlex staff. There is also a Loyola endowed academic scholarship funded by family and friends in Jeremy's name. 

On bahalf of our family, I'd like to take a moment to thank Beverly Morris and the entire Wild Lotus Yoga staff for the gift of funding the planting of a new live oak tree in City Park in honor of Jeremy. The tree was planted along the Festival Grounds Trail accessible from Golf Drive. Amazingly, of all the 1300 acres of City Park, the tree was planted along a straight line view from DeSaix Blvd, the street where Jeremy's house is (the people who planted the tree had no idea.) Bruce and Mary wrapped a red bow around the tree with Jeremy's name on it and mixed some of his ashes into the soil beneath the tree. We took a trip to visit the tree yesterday, Christmas Eve, the day when we always gather together as a family. From childhood to adulthood, Jeremy loved City Park- the park where we played from when we were little, and it's so fitting that there is a tree there now, another touchstone where we can go to celebrate the gift of his immense presence in our life. Friends and family, we hope you can make a trip to the Jeremy Tree. 

Merry Christmas, Jeremy. It's still so hard to fathom that you're not here with us in the flesh. We miss you so very much and love you so deeply. 

Happy Birthday Jeremy! In your honor and memory, we made your journey to Ireland and visited the Giants Causeway. We took you with us and left a piece of you there. The shoreline is richer today.

We love and miss you forever...

Bruce, Mary, Sean, Matt, Farah, and me :) 

I remember the first time I ever met Jeremy, around 6th grade at Chris Accardo's house. Chris lived right aroud the corner from Jeremy.  Chris's dad must have worked for Schlumberger at the time, because in the course of our hang-out, we snuck into his dad's closet where Chris had found a pocketknife labeled with the company's name.  And of course, like the typical 11 year old boys, we think it's the coolest thing in the world. Dude, a pocketknife! We're on our way to being ninjas now! At least that's the reaction I think Chris was expecting. 
Instead I looked at the knife and said, "Dude, why does that knife say 'Skum-burger'?" 
Chris gets flustered and says, "No Mike, it's 'Shlumber-jayh'." 
Jeremy giggles.  
"OK," I say. "Let me see your Skum-burger knife." 
Jeremy giggles again. 
"No Mike, it's pronounced 'Shlumber-jhaayh'!" 
 "Right Chris. Like I said.  That's a cool Skum-burger knife." 
Jeremy starts to cackle.  
"Mike, it's my dad's company.  It's pronounced 'Shhh-llummber-jjhhaayy'!"   "Wow.  What the hell kind of name is Skum-burger?  Why not just name your company 'Dog-shit sandwich'?'
 By this time Jeremy is dying laughing and Chris is totally pissed.  
And so, long story short, after knowing Jeremy for all of 20 minutes, I knew that I really liked him and looked forward to hanging out with him again.
  A few years later, I forget why, Chris and I decided to stay up all night one weekend.  Seemed like a cool idea at the time, until we realized that after about midnight, all your friends have curfew and we were stuck killing time until sunrise with not much to do.
 By the time about 5AM rolls around and we finally start to sense first light, Chris says,"Hey, I know what we can do! Let's go wake up Jeremy!"  Awesome!  We're both energized now that we finally have a mission. 
Chris warns me that Bruce can be a bear when he's pissed (I don't think I had met Bruce yet), so we sneak around the back and tap on a window that I presumed Chris knew was the window to Jeremy's room. 
"Chris, so this is the window to Jeremy's room, right?" 
"Yeah.  Uh...I think so."
"What do you mean you think so?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure...um, well let's just tap on the window and see. We'll just be real quiet about it."
And so we're crouched down, gently tapping at the window, when we're startled by a voice from around the corner.
"BOYS! What the fuck are you doing?  Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Oh damn.  It's Bruce.
Chris says, "Oh, sorry sir.  We're just looking for Jeremy."
"At THIS hour?!  You two get the FUCK outta here!"

 And so began my special relationship with Bruce. 
 
 Jeremy and I went on to hang out off and on for many years. At some point, I forget how or why, we decided to be roommates. That was at the Canal St apartment, from 1997-1999.  
 There are certainly funny memories from that time, but one that sticks with me was when Joshua came and lived on our couch for a while. 
One afternoon I came home from school, and Josh was in front of the TV, playing video games.  I sat on the couch for a while and we talked while Josh played.  We heard footsteps on the stairs and figured Jeremy was home.  
Keys rattle at the door. 
The door opens, and in comes Jeremy, who does not say a word. 
He does not make eye contact with either one of us.
In one fluid motion he enters, strides directly over to the game station, shuts it off as Josh is frantically working the joystick, and strides down the hall to his room and shuts the door. 
Josh, I know Jeremy cared deeply about you and wanted the best for you. He really loved you.  But he did like to fuck up your video games. I really enjoyed that about him.  
There are a lot of deeper, more serious things I could attempt to say about what Jeremy meant to me, but even after one year thinking about it, I just can't seem find the words to do him justice.  I miss you very much, my friend. I think about you every day.
 
 

The line I used to title this story is a line from the Coen brothers' masterpiece, Raising Arizona...a film that, very early on in the Fall of 1992, united a rag tag group of friends at Oxford College. I am personally terrible at recalling and reciting lines off the cuff from movies -- terrible. Jeremy never believed me when I told him it was some kind of weird mental block I have. While I can't recall the lines and jump into the banter like Jeremy could, I have vivid memories of his voice, his face, his physcial actions as he morphed into character and launched us into ridiculous movie banter...at random times, without warning, and with mind blowing precision. I am chuckling right now thinking of him, with a serious & perplexed expression on his face, randomly turning to our friend Zak and saying, "Son, you got a panty on your head." and off they would go...everyone jumping in...trying to keep "in character" eventually ending in laughter.

Aw, Jeremy, I miss you so much. I can't believe it's a year since you've gone. So much has happened that you would have loved, so many things to talk about, to laugh about, to ponder in utter amazement. Your spirit resonates with us and continues to inspire us and carry us forward, but, damn it, you were much better at those things in person. It's just not fair. It still takes my breath away that you're not physically here with us. You are missed as fiercely as you would miss any of us.

While I was reading the paper this morning, I ran across a list of annivesaries. Among other things, today is the annivesary of the Valkyrie plot/attempt to assisinate Adolf Hitler, the anniversary of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, and the anniversary of Bruce Lee's untimely death at 32. I don't know why but this combination of things made me smile a little. It's not that you engineered your exit from this earth and picked a date, but, as you deserve, this anniversary puts you in the ranks of the courageous, the ambitious, the powerful, the humble, the kind....I feel like you would appreciate this. And also, probably, that you would look at me and say, "Katie, what the fuck are you talking about?" in all seriousness before cracking a big smile and laughing.

I wish you were here with us to laugh and to joke and to tell us stories. In your absence, I am glad we can do those things with each other.

Bruce, Mary, Sean, Matt, Tessa, Brad, Josh,  I'm thinking of you today and everyday. Sending love, laughter, and memories.

Love,
Katie 

Hey Jeremy,
I’m just checking in to say hi and to tell you how much I miss you, we all miss you.

I think about you all the time. Like when I walk my dogs around the bayou and would see you running. You would always stop to say hi. I think about you every time a masseuse sticks their elbow in my back.

We use to talk about the short story I wanted to write about my life as a New Orleans piano tuner and all the great places that I have been in and out of (I just got a call from the new NCIS to work on a piano for an episode…you would fit perfectly in that series). Well, that story has morphed into another story set in one of your favorite spots, The Bywater. I call it ‘Bohemiaville’. It’s about a girl who moves to New Orleans and into the Bywater and then meets ‘the piano tuner’. I was thinking about you so much then, that ‘the piano tuner’ wound up with many of your endearing traits (kindness, courage, easygoing, optimism), so much so that I named him Jeremy. I think you would get a kick out of it. It has the Bywater, a piano shop, St Anne’s parade, Mardi Gras and romance. 

I would like to invite your family and friends to read it. They can find it here.  Please look on the menu line for a tab called The Story.

http://www.bohemiaville.com/

There is also another story there that I wrote called Mr. Gator.
It’s about life on Bayou Saint John after Katrina and about my great dog Rex, I know you remember him, my Katrina stray. It’s about Mr. Gator who use to live in the bayou and all the white ducks that lady put out. I know you will remember them. I use to see you out running and having to run around all those ducks.
Well gotta go 

Miss you buddy,
Henry

Jeremy, being the sentimental soul that he is, kept many of his birthday cards.  We found the Superman card we wrote him Sept. 17, 2006, just after the first anniversary of Katrina.  We wrote:
     What a year it has been.  It has changed us all forever.  The Grace with which
     you have dealt with it has inspired and kept us going.  But what else would we
     expect from our own personal Superman!  Happy 33rd Birthday, Jeremy!
     Love, Mary and Bruce

Katrina was a watershed event in Jeremy's life, a defining moment.  He learned to quickly transform the negative experience of that flood's horror and losses into an opportunity to reconstruct his home , to reimagine and reengineer his life.  And there was a profound parent/child role reversal in the process.  He led me by the hand in doing the things that needed to be done to put our life back together.

So now, on the one year anniversary of your passing, Jeremy,  I need you again to lead me by the hand to reimagine and to reengineer life without you in this dimension.  It feels like trying to be faster than a speeding bullet or trying to leap tall buildings in a single bound.  But I know with your help we will because you would have it no other way.

We are so touched by Ruthie and Sully Winston organizing, with the support of NOAC owner Bill More, the dedication of this plaque, now hung in the lobby of The New Orleans Athletic Club at a place where Jeremy always stood to greet his clients. Ruthie and Sully share this message: "Forever inspired by Jeremy's spirit: NOAC plaque next to 'his' steps to remind us that he walks before us and is always with us."

Three days ago was my birthday.  On my birthday last year I was standing outside early in the morning in a long line at the DMV waiting to renew my driver's license.  The phone rang.  It was Jeremy calling to wish me Happy Birthday!  He said," I feel so lucky that you are my mother."  And I responded, "Jeremy, I am the lucky one."  And he laughed.  This is one of my most treasured memories for I will forever feel like the lucky and grateful one to have Jeremy in my life, to be Jeremy's mother.  He was so endearing.  His presence was so strong and still is.  His sincerity so true.  His humor unmatched.  He loved for a lifetime.  He embraced life.

Dear Friends and Family—

It has been a year now since that heart-wrenching day when Jeremy passed away. We miss him beyond words and it is still so hard to believe that he is gone. It has been difficult, but amidst the pain of this past year, there have also been some highlights related to Jeremy’s impact and legacy to us and the world that we wanted to share with you.  

Thanks to the generous contributions of so many of you, the Jeremy Johnson Memorial Scholarship at Loyola has exceeded $30,000 in donations and is now endowed. What that means is starting this fall and every year thereafter, an annual scholarship will be given to a deserving New Orleans public school graduate. We are happy to announce that the first recipient of the scholarship is Willi Lucker, a graduate, like Jeremy, of Ben Franklin High School. Willi has shared that he is honored to be the first Jeremy Johnson Scholar. This is a great tribute to Jeremy, and our family is so thankful for all who made this possible. 

In May our family traveled to Ojai, California, a trip that Jeremy had been looking forward to so much, to celebrate Sean and Farah’s wedding. Tessa and Brad joined us for three days of rest, relaxation, and revelry at a mountain canyon retreat with a small group of close family and friends. It was a beautiful, joyful occasion and Jeremy's spirit was very much with us. We feel so blessed to have Farah as part of our family.

Matt is continuing his graduate studies of Romance Languages at U.N.O., working as a full-time musician, and teaching music.

Sean continues to teach at Wild Lotus Yoga, and performed with The Wild Lotus Band at The New Orleans Jazz Festival and events around the country. He also recorded a new album with the band called Unity, that is dedicated to Jeremy, and will be released on August 19th.

Jeremy had planned to meet Tessa in Ireland last September and was excited to go to Giant’s Causeway, a place that had captivated his imagination. This September, we will be traveling as a family with Tessa to complete that journey, spreading Jeremy's ashes at Giant’s Causeway on his birthday.

We have had a lot of inquires about how we’re doing. We have all been transformed in feeling the pain, and in trying to learn and draw strength from this loss. One of the resources that has been a huge help has been Deborah Corwell’s book Good Grief. We read it almost everyday. Since a part of the human experience for everyone is encountering deep personal loss at some point in time, we highly recommend this book.

We wish to thank you for your notes, thoughts, and prayers, and particularly for the tributes and stories you’ve left on this site—for the website has been a place for us to connect to everyone else who loved Jeremy, and it has helped us to not feel so alone in our grief. The website has given us a much bigger perspective on Jeremy’s life, presence and impact, outside of our immediate family.

Finally we want to thank you for your presence, love, and support of Jeremy in his life. This cannot be overstated. Jeremy's relationships with you fueled and inspired his life, and for this we are so grateful.

In closing, we want to share the photo above, a surprise gift, that we accidentally discovered online. It’s a photo of Jeremy crossing the finish line at his last Crescent City Classic in April 2013. As you can see, Jeremy’s strength, dedication, focus, durability, and poise - his overall essence- shines in full display.

With love and gratitude, 

-The Johnson Family

One of Jeremy's favorite events that he's been participating in for many years is the Crescent City Classic 10K race across New Orleans. The event combines so many of Jeremy's loves: running, which he did every day; fitness which he was so dedicated to; the scenic landscapes of New Orleans which he adored since childhood and loved watching come back to life after Katrina; a sprint across many of his favorite places in NOLA - the Superdome, French Quarter, Esplanade Ave, City Park; and of course lots of New Orleans characters along the route who he imitated so well to the point that I'd often literally fall on the floor laughing. He would often tell Mary that he'd like it if she and Bruce walked in the Classic, that they would love it, that it was a quintessential New Orleans experience. 

In honor of Jeremy-- Mary, Bruce, and I walked the Classic this year. Josh and Ellen also came down from Virginia to walk it with us as well. It was a beautiful, mild sunny day, blue skies. Joy and pain swelled in our hearts. Joy to follow his footsteps and open all our senses to the sites, sounds, and sensations that inspired him to run in this event year after year. There were even subtle moments when I felt he was walking with us. And pain that he wasn't there in the flesh to greet us at the finish line, lovingly make fun of us, congratulate us, and give us one of his loving bearhugs. 
___________________________________________________________

PS:  We met Tessa at the end of the race. Such a joy to see her. She was bummed that her time was 3 minutes slower than last year, which she said was understandable since she didn't really train for the race. When I got home NOLA.com posted a list of the top 500 women in the race. Tessa was #42. 

Jeremy was a big fan of the Rocky films, genuinely moved by the story of the humble underdog who through courage, hard work, and strength of heart became a hero and a champion. We found this quote from the film Rocky Balboa on a typed slip of paper in his desk drawer. It's a quote he would often share out loud with family and friends- a credo that he sought and succeeded in living up to. At a time when we struggle to endure his loss, finding this slip of paper in his desk drawer is welcome treasure, a gift from Jeremy:

"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows.  It's a very rough, mean place...and no matter how tough you think you are, it'll always bring you to your knees and keep you there permanently...if you let it.  You or nobody ain't never gonna hit as hard as life.  But it ain't about how hard you hit...it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward...how much you can take, and keep moving forward. If you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth.  But you gotta be willing to take the hit."  

It was such a surprise to see Jeremy, Tessa and friends!

Jeremy and Tessa and some of their friends happened to drop be my favorite watering hole and caught me enjoying myself with a mimosa or two!

Happy Birthday Jeremy!!! I love you and miss you! Looking back on 39 in this picture... I couldn't wait until 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100... with you!

Happy 40th Birthday to our precious son, Jeremy.  Our family was graced by your presence.  You brought so many gifts to us.  Since you were a little boy no one could make us laugh like you did.  Your loving concern for our well being and your wholehearted enthusiasm  for life enhanced our lives.  We all deeply valued your innate perception and opinion of life around us.  

Jeremy, we are all grieving your absence beyond words. We are honoring this special day by spreading your ashes at some of your favorite places - our back yard where you grew up, your backyard which you created and nurtured, on the banks of Bayou St. John where you ran daily, in City Park under the Singing Oak where you were going to propose to Tessa.  In the months ahead we also plan to scatter your ashes while walking the Crescent City Classic which you always ran and always wanted us to participate in because as you said it is such a "New Orleans thing." Tessa will spread them at Jazz Fest which you loved.  We are also planning a family trip to Ireland [Tessa too] where you always wanted to go and will spread your ashes at the Giants Causeway.

As painful as I will find it scattering your ashes I consider it a sacred honor as I did giving you birth.

I love you, Jeremy!
Mary

This story is for Bruce and Mary, and for anyone else with whom it resonates. I was planning to save it so that I could post it on Jeremy’s birthday. But this weekend Bruce posted this quote about making a difference in the life of others, and my story fits right in with that.  I wanted to share it because it shows how some of the little things that Jeremy did or said really affected us a lot.

I haven’t known Jeremy all that long, and it wasn’t until may be a year ago or so that I learned that he was a beer drinker. That was a bit of a surprise, given that he was so into fitness and was so serious about watching his diet. But as a Belgian, it made me feel good that we had something in common. On my most recent trip to Belgium, I brought Jeremy a few beer glasses. Jeremy had already mentioned he knew some good beers that he wanted me to try, and I figured that at some point he and I would end up hanging out and enjoying a few good beers.

I myself have been drinking beer most of my life. I don’t recall when exactly I started. But I remember that back in Belgium, my friends and I used to sneak out of high school at lunch time to hit the bars. By age 16, the school actually allowed us to leave the premises at lunch time, so by that time all of us were drinking beer almost daily.  I probably have been drinking two or three beers a day for over 20 years. I have always been convinced that I could stop whenever I wanted, but I never did.

A long time ago Tessa mentioned to me that training would help me get fit, but that getting in tiptop shape would eventually require a lifestyle change. It quickly became obvious that in my case that lifestyle change should involve eating less cheese and – more importantly – drinking less beer. Much less…  

I have never really made any serious attempts to drink less. However, several years ago one of my drinking buddies in Belgium had the brilliant idea to stop drinking alcohol for 30 days straight each year “…to clear the system.” I started doing the same. I am not sure why; probably just to prove to myself that I could.  I have been observing such a 30-day “fast” for several years now. I don’t pay much attention to when exactly I start the 30 days, but when I do start it, I am very religious about it. No matter what happens, it is going to be 30 days, and not 29 or 28.  Unfortunately, until recently I never had any motivation to change anything during the rest of the year.

This year, I mistimed the whole thing a bit and my 30 day alcohol-free period overlapped with Jazzfest. Just my luck, Jeremy and Tessa invited me to their Jazzfest party at their house. Jeremy offered me a beer, which I politely declined on account of the 30 day thing. I had a bottle of water instead. Then Jeremy asked me the million dollar question “So Dominique, when you don’t drink for 30 days do you feel any difference?” I think he was just curious, but I had honestly never thought about that. I paused for a moment and replied that I did not notice any difference whatsoever. No noticeable weight loss, no improvement in the gym, absolutely nothing… The following week my 30 day period ended, and I had a few beers with friends who were visiting.  But Jeremy’s question still bugged me. When you think about it, what is the point of not drinking for 30 days if it does not make any difference? Somehow Jeremy had pushed the right button. He might have done it unintentionally, but then again, it was Jeremy, so he might have known exactly what he was doing …

It occurred to me that I had a few options. One would be to stop drinking for a longer period. Another option would be to simply drink less, either by not drinking every day or by drinking just one beer instead of two or three. Not having the best track record with any of this, I decided it would be easier to just stop cold turkey. So that is what I did. I stopped (again) and I have not had a drop of alcohol since. I have since shed 8-10 pounds, and I feel better and sleep better.

Although I can’t promise that I will never have a beer again, I am pretty sure that Jeremy triggered a permanent change in my lifestyle (which I knew was needed). If do want to have a beer at some point, I know I will think of Jeremy and ask myself whether I really need it.  I already know the answer.

Some of my friends have commented that they do not get why I stopped drinking. I have simply been telling them that “it was time.” That is true, it really was time. But it is not what motivated me to actually stop. What motivated me was that I wanted to be able to tell Jeremy that it made a difference in my life. And it has.

I never got around to telling Jeremy that his simple question is what triggered this major change in my lifestyle, so I am telling all of you.

Couldn't I see him, just one more time
Hear his hearty laugh, just one more time 
Feel his strong bear hug, just one more time
Sense his tender heart, just one more time
Know his love for family, just one more time


 

Grandma was one of Jeremy's greatest teachers. He loved her immensely. When she passed away in June of 2009, Jeremy composed her eulogy and shared it with us at her funeral.  He kept a copy of the eulogy in his bedside nightstand. It speaks for itself, and yet also gives us some guidance, in Jeremy's own inspiring words, on how to grieve his loss:

Eulogy for Mary Lyons Burke 

Beloved wife, great grandmother, grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, cook, dancer, singer, writer, fantastic storyteller and most of all teacher. And its this latter item- teacher- that I want to talk most about. 

Grandma taught us love by loving.  She left us with a legacy of unconditional love. A legacy that has had an undeniable effect on everyone who knew her.  And as I'm composing this eulogy I'm listening to the Beatles' All You Need Is Love.

She taught us acceptance by accepting.  Accepting people into her life with an unparalleled graciousness.  People of different backgrounds, origins and beliefs all had a place in her embrace.  She accepted the joys of birth, babies cooing and children growing at all stages while many others would simply tolerate babies and kids.  With grandma, three minutes, three hours or three days were all the same. I've heard over and over again from her grandchildren, including myself, that the safest place to be was her lap.

But acceptance in life isn't always about accepting joy.  Profound pain visited her more than once- profound pain and sorrow which would level many of us, close us off and embitter us to life. And you all know what I'm talking about.  Somehow she accepted these tragedies and in so doing she taught us how to survive and how to live through the darkest moments of life. St. Paul in his letter to the Romans said,  "Suffering produces perseverance, perseverence produces character and character produces hope."  She lived this maxim and it is now our turn to live it at this dark moment in our lives. 

I have a quote from Norman MacLean's book, A River Runs Through It,  "You can love completely without complete understanding."  Grandma taught us this.  And it's not just her children and grandchildren but nieces and nephews knew this too.  She was an outpost of confidentiality and an anchor of support.  For instance, it was recently that an unnamed grandniece said, "Thank you for not telling my daddy that I escaped to New Orleans for the weekend."  I often remember telling her my greatest fears and it stayed our little secret.  She understood the nature of the confessional though she may not have understood the nature of the confessed. 

Houston and New Orleans have traditionally been southern city competitors.  Grandma bridged that gap.  She was always proud of her Houston roots, proud of her Houston family. She was deeply emotionally connected to her parents, brothers and sisters, speaking of them often and always in contact with them.  But this city, New Orleans, goofy and eccentric and one-of-a-kind, captured her heart.  She loved to dance and sing and, to our benefit, cook.  God, could she cook!  She often said, "I'll never leave New Orleans."  And she never did. 

Ninety-seven years is a long time by anybody's count.  Ninety-seven years of life.  The last twenty-three years grandma's front yard was Bayou St. John.  She loved it and passed on her love for it to me.  It's no wonder that I live so close to it and see her whenever I see it.  My love for Grandma and for the bayou reminds me of another quote from A River Runs Through It : 

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.  The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time.  On   some of the rocks are timeless raindrops.  Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. Now nearly all those I loved and did not understand when I was young are dead, but I still reach out to them." 

We will continue to reach out to you, Grandma.  Your torch has been passed and we gratefully and gladly accept it.

- Jeremy Johnson
Proud 12th Grandchild 

Jeremy always loved a good sequel.... Raising Arizona, Sting, Fun Arcade(Sha-shacade!), Time Saver, The Natural, Big League Chew, Ring King, Soniat St., Neal Diamond and Elvis (KING DIAMOND!), Death of a Salesman, Cammilia Grill, Space Balls, Atlanta Braves, The Kennedys(JFK), McDonalds Birthdays, Park Esplanade Apartments, Romeo and Juliet, Seinfeild, Ken Burns, The Naked Gun, Double Dragon, The Kids in the Hall, Robert Plant, Garfield St., Ass Masters, Boston, Justin Timberlake, Crank Calls, The Walkind Dead, Swingers, Rocky Balboa, McCartney vs. Lennon, Return of the Jedi,  Red Dog Democrat.... just some more things that Jeremy increased the value of by being himself.

These things keep flashing in and out of mind when I remember him... the Fun Arcade was a video game place at the begining of Veterens Ave., not far from Polk St....we loved to go there together but they would not let us walk there by our selves when we were young... so as we waited for someone to take us I made up a way to get attention so we could get there faster... SHA-SHACADE!!...I would yell this or say it in a low voice over and over to annoy who ever was taking us...Jeremy loved this, he would single me to keep it up when ever I stoped and even as we were on the way there he wanted me to keep it up...just to get a reaction from Mary or Danny or who ever was taking us...we kept this going even when we got older, he would tell me to yell it when we entered the arcade, untill the Sha-shacade closed down...when it did Jeremy told me I should open a bigger better arcade so we would always have a Sha-shacade...

He always had great ideas about things...we both loved music but always in differnt ways...I liked Elvis a lot and he thought Neil Dimond was fantastic.. so Jeremy came up with an act we should do together...King Dimond...he said he would impersonate Neil and I should be Elvis and we should perform together in one big show...he loved this idea and we would sometimes act it out trying to get the other one to break character by acting more and more over the top...it was a sight to see...we would always end up arguing who was better, Elvis or Neal...but are greatest controversy came in the form of another pair of musicins... Lennon vs. McCartney...  It was here we had our greatest debates, over which Beatle was a better singer, writer, performer, and all around better person... we would compare everything about the two...songs, wives, albums, styles, anything...it got pretty heated at times calling each of our idols horrible names and making up things about the other so one of us would have to look it up...the same could be said of our debate over Superman and Batman...Jeremy just loved to debate and mix it up, not just with me but anyone who could step in to the ring with him...

These things are now all I have to help me keep him alive and fresh in my thoughts...since I started a family I had spent less time with Jeremy, only hollidays or special occasions...but we always called or texted in these last six years about things... when The Walking Dead was on he would call every Monday so we could discuss and debate over the show... If only I had one more debate with him it would be to argue over who loved the other more...I feel as if I could win this one...

We must have talked about September 1st a hundred times; Way before I even left, and everyday while I was gone.  When we would get sad about the 2 ½ months we were spending apart, we would remind ourselves of this day.  It was the light at the end of the tunnel; it’s what kept us going when we missed each other so much!  We texted and talked about it daily, “I can’t wait to see you in Ireland in September!” We were counting down the days… 79 total. Every day Jeremy would cross one off the calendar and send me a picture of it saying, “One day closer!”

The countdown ended on July 20th, 38 days in.  I started counting down the days in a new way… I have been terrified of this day.  This wasn’t the future we wrote…

 After being apart for months, we were to meet in Ireland, the one place in the world Jeremy always wanted to go. We would spend a week driving wherever the wind took us, but absolutely HAD to stop at the Giants Causeway… Jeremy was mesmerized by this place. Then to Portugal for a week on the beach…  nobody loved the beach more than Jeremy, and he made sure it was part of the trip.  We would come home and celebrate his 40th birthday! He would give me the ring I picked out before I left, and we would start the rest of our lives together.  We had so much to look forward to and we were happier than ever!  How perfect it all sounded!  It was too good to be true, so I guess it just couldn’t be anymore. Why our future was rewritten, I will never know.

I am heartbroken that these things will never come to pass. I am sad…  Sad that such a beautiful person was taken from us all.  Sad that the fairytale meeting isn’t happening right now in Ireland.  Sad that I will never see him get down on one knee under the Singing Oak… the spot he told his friends on his last day that he planned to propose.  Sad that we will never have the little girl he always wante., Jeremy couldn’t wait to be a father, and he was very specifiic about having a daughter.  I am sad to move out of the house that we made into a home together.   Sad that the future we chose and worked so hard on is now gone. “Till death do us part” came before it was spoken, and it breaks my heart.

But I am also happy. Happy that Jeremy had such a good life right up to the end. He was so content and calm. He was at peace in his life, you could see it in his bright brown doe-eyes and his perfectly infectious smile.  He had so many people that he loved and that loved him back. I am happy that he was so close to his family and always spent so much time with them.   I am happy that he spent his last 2 weekends with some of his best friends in the whole world.  I am happy we lived together, making it possible to spend every night and nearly every free minute at each others side... I cherish those minutes more than ever now.  I don’t believe Jeremy passed on with any regrets in his life… that makes me happy. He was at peace, and he did well.

I am also happy that he doesn’t feel the pain we all feel now. His biggest fear was losing me, or someone that he loved.  He was terrified that something was going to happen to me while I was in Asia and he would never see me again. He brought it up often.  I can’t believe he was half right. His last words to me when I was at the airport were, “Promise you’ll come back to me!” I made it back just like I promised; I just didn’t think to have him make the same promise.

We use to argue about who gets to die first. Neither of us wanted to deal with the pain of losing the other.  His argument was that he was 10 years older so he would be first.  Mine was that I already had melanoma and it could come back at any time, so clearly I was going to be first.  When I would say that, he would break down and cry at the thought. He’d get angry and tell me never to say something like that again! He said he couldn’t handle the pain of losing me.

Well Jeremy, you won the argument. But why did you have to win by so many years? Why couldn’t we both stick around for a while? As much as it hurts us all, I guess I am glad you won. You said that you couldn’t handle the pain, and maybe you knew what you were talking about.  This hurts like hell and I wouldn’t want you to feel it, I wouldn’t want to dim such a bright light. I would take your place if it didn’t mean that you had to suffer.  I am happy that you are at rest and aren’t hurting like we are. I am a little jealous of you actually, I hope to one day find the peace that you have. 

I’m sorry this day couldn’t go the way we planned, that the light at the end of the tunnel turned black.  September 1st just plain sucks now! But if I can make it through this day then I can make it through any.  

I can’t wait to see you on the other side Jeremy!  I love you beyond your forever, and to the end of mine.  I promised I would come back to you, and I will. It will likely be a very long countdown though, until then my friend...

From Sean Lajaunie, a friend and fan of Jeremy...

I knew Jeremy from our mutual group of friends of the family. Our paths didn’t cross that often, except at the occasional life event, when someone we knew got married or died. All in all, I probably saw Jeremy only for a few minutes every few years.

Considering the long grind of life, these minutes were just moments. All I had was a few moments with Jeremy.

But these moments were everything with Jeremy. All it took was a moment to feel the genuine care he handled you with. The warmth he put into every word he said to you.

And the quick mind and the open heart that he shared with all of us.

These are things I felt in my moments with Jeremy.

In many ways, we take a piece of everyone we meet, with us.

Sometimes we choose to—most times we don’t. Jeremy was one of those people who I chose to take many pieces of, from the moments we had together.

He always offered me the good pieces, and I took them. And made them a part of myself.

I think the pieces I took from him helped me be closer to the person I want to be.

And I want to thank Jeremy for that.

I want to thank Jeremy for the moments that he gave me.

The last time I saw him was with Tessa in June. I agree with all of you - He looked the happiest I've ever seen him. 
He insisted I try the homemade soda at Sylvain and even brought over his drink to taste it. :)

I remember when I was a sophomore at Loyola, and battling those wretched freshman 15. I definitely worked out here and there but it just seemed hopeless.
I remember walking into his office and complaining and Jeremy looking at me ( trying to be polite)  while filing some paperwork and saying, "my mom once told me, 'well jeremy you have two legs, why don't you do something about it.' ..."
I lost 15 after that.  :)  At that age, you're still learning so much about yourself. Well over a decade later I still think of that moment, and now that he's gone, I think of it all the time. It's relative to everything, not just fitness. If you don't like something, change it. Simple as that.

That moment, just one of so many pivotal moments we shared over the years. 
...So many times in the past few weeks, I'm in a conversation and think 'I should tell Jeremy that'.......I still can't believe he's gone.

Jeremy made everything better...Superman, Rocky, Big Wheels, Bugs Bunny, Basketball, Magic Johnson, Ice Cream, Pizza Hut, Bike Riding, Video Games, Sam Kinnison, Led Zeppelin, Baseball, Taco Bell, Batman, U2, Zombies, Robin Williams, Icees, Markel Lumber, Beastie boys, Figaros, Glory, Loyola, Bannanas, Braveheart, Streetcar video, Football, Cooter Browns, Halloween, The Saints game, working out, Mardi Gras, La Bon Ton, Hall and Oates, Jazz Fest, Pearl Jam, Christmas dinner, too many to count...what ever the thing was he added an element that made that thing more than it really was.  

The second to last time I talked to him was about the show 30 for 30 on ESPN, specifically the one called "The Annoucement" which is about Magic telling the world he was HIV positive... needless to say Jeremy loved it but more to the point we talked about how much Magics life and the choices he made inspired us...Jeremy more so than me because I would probably know nothing of basket ball if not for Jeremy's influence...He really felt that Magic became a true hero when he stood up and told the world of his problem...it made him see Magic in a whole new light...and I wanted to thank Jeremy for introducing me to Magic and making that thing a part of my life, he always loved Magic as far back as I can remember...our conversation then diverted into the 30 for 30 on Bo Jackson...then into the video game Tecmo Bowl, in which I threw a pass the full length of the field scoring a touchdown that caused Jeremy to jump out of his chair screaming "IMPOSSIBLE!" at the top of his lungs and then turning off the game to get his revenge...then to NBA live 95 in which Jeremy scored 65pts with Anthony Peller by only shooting three point shots, my response was to shove Jeremy out of his chair as he crashed to the floor in wild laughter...Then there was Blades of Steel, a hockey game, which just caused all kinds of trouble too terrible to mention here...

They were all just things that Jeremy made better by simply being himself...thank you for making things better for me, I will always strive to make things better for those I love because of you.

I am an amature artist and photographer. Some would say a professional because I have sold stuff. Jeremy was my biggest supporter. He bought 3-4 photos...maybe we bartered for one... maybe I gave him one. He also commissioned a painting from me that he used as a wedding gift. Jeremy loved my work mainly because it was all of New Orleans...(we both loved New Orleans) and also because I was his friend. I wish I was younger and knew Jeremy as a friend the same age. I know that we would have hung out a lot and been even better friends. I will forever miss you Jeremy.

A Tribute To Jeremy. 

We shared this at Jeremy's memorial on August 3, 2013.

Music: "The Final Bell" by Bill Conti From The Rocky Soundtrack. Jeremy loved The Rocky movies. 

Footage from home movies, filmed by Bruce, Mary, Jeremy, Tessa, and Emily Kaplan.

Video created by Sean Johnson and Jay Crutti. 

There are a few glitches in the audio when played on the web. We are working on finding a way to fix this and will repost once it's corrected.   

Jeremy Memorial Video Part 1. We shared this at Jeremy's memorial on August 3, 2013. Includes Jeremy giving a tour of his FEMA trailer (footage by Emily Kaplan), some of Jeremy's commercial and film clips, video taken by Tessa, and other surprises. 

The audio and video are out of synch at times when played on the web. We are working on finding a way to fix this and will repost once it's corrected.  

Special thanks to Jay Crutti for editing. 

I have a lady friend that worked out with Jeremy at NOAC. She was 50ish, very strong and very motivated. Her and Jeremy worked out every week for well over a year or two. He had her runinng the stairs, doing squats with weights and working real hard. Eventually other ladies would ask him if he could do for them what he did for my friend. He would say "yes, but are you willing do do what she did to get there (the time it took and the work it required)." Jeremy was always very honest but in a loving and genuine way.