My big sister, Amber Lee Johnson, was born September 17th, 1986. She died the summer I graduated from college, before reaching age 25. Amber struggled with mental illness and the fallout from opioid addiction for nearly a third of her short life. She made many formal and informal attempts at recovery, but never found a lasting solution. I have no doubt that without a few key people and experiences, our stories could be swapped. But I was lucky, and I still am.
So, every year on her birthday I complete a personal fitness challenge called the 'Amber Alice,' and raise money for charity in her memory. We brought in over $2k in the first two years to support charities working on mental illness and addiction. Now in year three (2023), I'm excited to launch the ‘Amber Lee Johnson Memorial Fund’ to serve as the annual 'Amber Alice' fundraising platform.
What’s the 'Amber Alice’? First, it's the nickname my grandpa called my sister when she was young. It reminds me of the sister I knew growing up (see picture) and my grandparents, Jo and Jiggs Meuret. Second, it’s an opportunity to push my body and focus my mind in memory of my sister on her birthday (September 17th). The format of the ‘Amber Alice’ changes every year but includes at least 24 miles run and 1000 push-ups over the course of the day.
What’s NAMI? NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization providing advocacy, education, support and public awareness. NAMI Wisconsin is a state organization of NAMI. The mission of NAMI Wisconsin is to improve the quality of life of people affected by mental illness and to promote recovery. NAMI Wisconsin will accomplish its mission through the following: Promote public education and understanding of mental illnesses. Advocate at all levels of government and throughout the public sector to improve mental health care in Wisconsin. Support affiliates by providing follow-up advice and counsel; educational and training programs and materials; access to financial resources as appropriate; and by offering conferences, seminars, and presentations. Establish and strengthen local affiliates to keep with NAMI’s principles and guidelines.
So please, join me September 17th in remembrance of my sister, Amber Lee Johnson, and in support of the important work of NAMI Wisconsin.
‘if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.’ MLK Jr.
- Tony Johnson
About This Event
My big sister, Amber Lee Johnson, was born September 17th, 1986. She died the summer I graduated from college, before reaching age 25. Amber struggled with mental illness and the fallout from opioid addiction for nearly a third of her short life. She made many formal and informal attempts at recovery, but never found a lasting solution. I have no doubt that without a few key people and experiences, our stories could be swapped. But I was lucky, and I still am.
So, every year on her birthday I complete a personal fitness challenge called the 'Amber Alice,' and raise money for charity in her memory. We brought in over $2k in the first two years to support charities working on mental illness and addiction. Now in year three (2023), I'm excited to launch the ‘Amber Lee Johnson Memorial Fund’ to serve as the annual 'Amber Alice' fundraising platform.
What’s the 'Amber Alice’? First, it's the nickname my grandpa called my sister when she was young. It reminds me of the sister I knew growing up (see picture) and my grandparents, Jo and Jiggs Meuret. Second, it’s an opportunity to push my body and focus my mind in memory of my sister on her birthday (September 17th). The format of the ‘Amber Alice’ changes every year but includes at least 24 miles run and 1000 push-ups over the course of the day.
What’s NAMI? NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization providing advocacy, education, support and public awareness. NAMI Wisconsin is a state organization of NAMI. The mission of NAMI Wisconsin is to improve the quality of life of people affected by mental illness and to promote recovery. NAMI Wisconsin will accomplish its mission through the following: Promote public education and understanding of mental illnesses. Advocate at all levels of government and throughout the public sector to improve mental health care in Wisconsin. Support affiliates by providing follow-up advice and counsel; educational and training programs and materials; access to financial resources as appropriate; and by offering conferences, seminars, and presentations. Establish and strengthen local affiliates to keep with NAMI’s principles and guidelines.
So please, join me September 17th in remembrance of my sister, Amber Lee Johnson, and in support of the important work of NAMI Wisconsin.
‘if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.’ MLK Jr.
