As a member of the TV WEEK team I have been lucky enough over the years to interview some pretty big names in the industry both in Australia and overseas.
And yes the butterflies are always present when you are chatting to someone you admire.
But it was more than just butterflies that flipped in my stomach when I was granted an interview with Connie Johnson and her Gold Logie winning brother Samuel Johnson last week.
Team TV WEEK were down in Canberra to take part in Connie’s Big Heart Project, going along on the day to set up a photo booth so locals could get a snap with Sam’s Gold Logie – and it was very popular I must say.
But before the event, we were invited over to Connie’s house, which had been turned into the Love Your Sister headquarters leading up to the event.
“Hello Vollies, just this way!” the first sign read as I went to knock on the door. And as we stepped into the Johnson family home, we were met with various signs, indicating where the “Vollies” (the Love Your Sister volunteers) needed to go, where the nurses and carers for Connie needed to go, and most importantly a signed marked “Family Space” was for just that. Family.
Sam and Connie were in that room talking about the final preparations for the Big Heart Project which was taking place in less than 12 hours.
With lego on the tables, Connie’s kids eating dinner before ducking off to circus lessons (Connie’s youngest son Hamilton is learning how to ride the unicycle, which he decided to do without any influence from Uncle Sam) it looked any household across Australia doing a nightly routine. But this isn’t any ordinary house or an ordinary family.
The Johnson family have made public just how tough Connie’s battle with cancer has been, and they are sharing her story to raise much needed money for cancer research.
This remarkable and strong woman put the call out to Australia to throw their five cent coins into a heart on May 10 to raise what she hoped would be close to $1million. Australia answered and so far they have raised $2.2million – and I am sure that number will only rise.
In this week’s issue of TV WEEK Connie and Sam both open about having their family in the spotlight, how it impact’s Connie’s children and husband, and why Uncle Sam has already planned on how he will keep Connie’s legacy alive for her sons.
It’s a raw and emotional interview, and I thank both Connie and Sam for letting TV WEEK and our readers into their world.
To donate to Love Your Sister, please head to loveyoursister.org.
