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As Australia prepares to say goodbye to Samuel Johnson’s brave and adored sister Connie this week, the actor has revealed his special promise to her: ‘I will help raise your boys.’
The 40-year-old mum – who became the face of breast cancer awareness through the Love Your Sister charity – lost her battle with the terminal disease, leaving behind sons Willoughby, 11 and Hamilton, 10.
Known affectionately as ‘Uncle Long Legs’, Sam has now vowed to help their father Michael raise the ‘fine, young men’ through the years, working to keep memories of their late mum alive.
‘I’m one of the closest links the children will have to their mother and I’m setting myself up to be the chief go-to guy if they ever have a question about [her],’ Samuel told New Idea.
Samuel has spoken affectionately of his gorgeous nephews in the lead-up to Connie’s sad passing, revealing the magical bond he shares with the boys.
‘I try to bring a bit of Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl into my relationship with them,’ he told New Idea. ‘They honestly believe I can fly, and are convinced as long as they keep eating their fruit and vegetables, then coins will keep appearing from their hearts.’
Prior her her sad passing, Connie also opened up about the joy Samuel has brought to the young boys’ lives.
‘Every family has got that favourite uncle – the guy who wrestles with the kids, plays hide-and-seek and jokes with them,’ she told New Idea.
The hero mum has battled cancer for three decades, after first being diagnosed with bone cancer at 11, suffering a tumour in her womb at 22, and then being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer on son Willoughby’s fourth birthday.
After the devastating news, Samuel asked Connie how he could help – and this lead to the Love Your Sister legacy.
‘In a moment that changed my life I said:’What do you want your legacy to be?’ he told the ABC. ‘And Connie breathed in what I like to say was more gravitas than the Queen of England, and decided then and there that she wanted to remind every young mum in the land to check their boobs. Because mums just forget about their health – your children just come first – and you end up putting your own health issues further down the line.’
Inviting Connie’s millions of Aussie supporters from around the country to attend her funeral, Samuel has described this Saturday’s farewell as a celebration of her rich life: ‘It will be more like a party.’
For the full story see this weeks issue of New Idea.
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