After leaving the army he worked for the council, he got a commendation for his loyalty, length of service and high standards of work. he also had an allottment, which he became chairman of hay green allotments, he also worked on his aunty idas farm all through his childhood, john lost his mother at a young age, and spent most of his time with his dad, his health took a turn for the worse when 3 yrs ago he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, he coped well with his illness until august 2012 when he was diagnosed with acute myloid leukeamia