We’re tiny and helpless when we come into this world. A few hours or days later we go home with our parents who take care of us. If we’re lucky, their parents are in our lives too.
Memories of family and how close we are come to mind when I think about a young man I met about ten years ago.
It was around the time Hunter Johnson found out that his grandfather needed a heart transplant, requiring him to travel to Ottawa for appointments. Travel for care is expensive, and it’s difficult for families to be apart during these times. That’s when Hunter started to think about making the journey less expensive and raising money so others wouldn’t have to be away from their family.
At just 12 years old, Hunter found inspiration in his love for Halloween and turned it into a fundraising idea.
He and his family created tombstones, constructed, painted and put together displays of all things Halloween. The whole family helped Hunter turn that passion into a fundraising event that would grow into something much bigger.
The first few “Hunter’s Haunted Halloween” events were held in Current River, where it got so popular it just kept growing. Space was running low in their yard, so Hunter’s family moved it to his grandparents’ property. This also meant they could create more adventures for thrill seekers, and it was even more meaningful and fun as the family worked together to create this yearly event.
Each year it gained more traction, and over the five years the event was held, the family’s teamwork raised thousands for the Renal and Cardiac Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, as well as the Thunder Bay Humane Society, a nod to Hunter’s love of animals.
Fast forward to Grade 12 when Hunter made a decision about his academic future. Hunter liked the idea of helping people, so the nursing course at Lakehead University just made sense. After a visit to Toronto, Hunter changed his plan and decided to go away for school.
“Seeing others going away for school was very motivating for me” says Hunter.
Hunter’s parents suggested he live with his aunt in Oshawa, whom he had never met, to pursue his education at Durham College. Hunter thought he would take a shot and applied for the pre-health course. He had about two weeks to mentally and emotionally prepare to leave Thunder Bay.
“After Durham College, I applied to the nursing program at Ontario Tech in Oshawa. It was kind of funny because I originally applied for nursing, but afterward, I kept getting advertising for their health sciences programs. I was disappointed because then I was, like I wished I had applied to the health sciences program. But funny enough, instead of giving me an offer into nursing, they gave me a conditional offer into health sciences, which worked out perfectly!”, said Hunter.
“I found with nursing, it’s very specific. You go into nursing to become a nurse. Health Sciences is much broader, where you’re learning multiple areas. You take all your anatomy and physiology courses, chemistry, and core sciences, but you also take a lot of social sciences—so understanding the public health aspect of things. I like learning how the human body works internally, but also from a societal standpoint how everyone interacts with one another.”
Hunter has great ambitions. “I’m doing my Master’s in Medical Science right now, but I’m attracted to going to Family Medicine. I feel with Family Medicine, you get to know the patient on a very interpersonal level, which you can’t do if you’re in emergency medicine or if you’re specializing in something because you’re in and out with patients.”
Hunter says it’s not just a patient’s physical health that you’re treating; it’s their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health as well. “I’m really a key advocate for holistic care, and that relationship aspect plays a huge role in that.”
Hunter’s been busy in other aspects of his life. As a Red River Métis, he works as the Indigenous program coordinator at Ontario Tech for their Indigenous Youth Programs. They host STEM programming for Indigenous youth from kindergarten to grade twelve. Their main focus is using both Western and Indigenous knowledge systems and braiding them together so you can see the benefits from both. They do a lot of work with organizations and different school boards that share similar values within Indigenous education. There’s a lot of planning that aligns with the Ontario curriculum and local First Nation, Métis, and Inuit education goals as well. One thing they’re working on is the land-based high school credit, where Indigenous students can join the program in the summer and during the school year, and instead of your typical classroom, they’re learning on the land. Community members will run traditional workshops, while Hunter and his team will support with the technology he has to offer.
When I interviewed Hunter back in 2012, I noticed he was very mature and full of confidence. We became friends on social media and I’ve seen his posts about how he was doing in school, his graduation and the awards he’s received. It’s been impressive to witness.
Hunter didn’t hesitate when I asked who his inspiration was. It’s not one person in particular, it’s all of his friends and family, especially his parents and grandparents. He has friends that are career driven who support his career and academic aspirations; others who are very motivated about their personal health and well-being; and others that are very social. “They’re very supportive, and I love talking to them. They definitely play a big role in who I look to for support and who I receive support from.”
Hunter’s journey from a haunted house fundraiser in Thunder Bay to advocating for Indigenous youth and pursuing family medicine—is a testament to compassion, determination, and deep-rooted family values.
And how is his grandfather, who’s heart transplant started Hunter on this path of caring and generosity. Hunter says “He’s doing wonderful. He’s living a healthy and happy life after he received his heart transplant in 2012”
And then there’s Hunter’s Nana. Last Thanksgiving, he surprised her with a Christmas gift—a trip to Greece, she had always dreamed of visiting there but had never been outside of North America. Initially, she pushed him to go with friends, but Hunter insisted, ‘No, I invited you.’ The memories from that trip to Athens and Mykonos (with a quick stop in Amsterdam and Paris) were, in his words, ‘priceless,’ and something he would do again in a heartbeat.”
