For his clients, trainer Mike Johnson has always been a morning person.
Now they are becoming morning people to raise money and support for him.
Middletown resident Johnson was first diagnosed with a brain tumor on Sept. 4, 2008. The tumor was removed two days later and Johnson was back to training at Fitness First in Frederick — now Gold's Gym — three weeks later, despite the fact that he was going through radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
"He used to say when he went to the gym, he felt like everybody was cheering for him," Johnson's wife Mary said.
After 18 months of treatment, Johnson's first brain tumor went into remission until last October when Mary said something was spotted on a routine MRI.
"They said 'It might be nothing — don't worry about it,'" Mary said.
Johnson's MRIs started increasing to once a month and in December when his face started to droop, Mary said they knew his brain cancer had returned. Johnson had a biopsy in January and the tumor was diagnosed as stage three and inoperable.
He started receiving chemotherapy and radiation in March and April but Mary said the side effects have halted treatment.
"It's been an uphill battle with him trying to get side effects under control. ... It's very hard for him right now," she said.
As a result of seizures that limit Johnson's ability to walk and communicate, he is currently in an in-patient rehabilitation program in Frederick leaving Mary — who still works full-time as a systems engineer — as the main caretaker of their children, Michael, 8, and Malia, 2.
Though she will soon be getting some temporary live-in help in the form of her brother in law, Mary said she is hoping to get this type of help on a more permanent basis.
For this reason and to assist the Johnson family with whatever else they might need, Johnson's clients and fellow trainers are holding a series of Saturday morning fitness fundraisers for him. The first was a Family 5K Run on Saturday behind the Gold's Gym in the Westridge Square Shopping Center in Frederick.
Krista Dillon Hemming, a client of Johnson's for three years, helped to organize the event with fitness instructor Nan Sheridan Mann.
"The first time I met him he said, 'I will always take 'no' for an answer,' and I said 'That's my kind of trainer,'" Middletown resident Hemming said of Johnson.
She said as a trainer he was always very encouraging and took the approach of not pushing clients too far. Hemming said at the times when having a trainer became a financial burden for her, Johnson's response was to "just keep coming" and he'd handle the rest.
"He was the type of guy where you just want to do your best for Mike," Hemming said.
Mann said there is a sense of something missing at the gym without Johnson there. She explained that Johnson was not actually a Gold's Gym employee but rather a personal trainer with his own company, "Body By Mike," who trained there.
"He's always just been there to say good morning to people; he's just a staple," she said.
They said the news that his tumor returned and was inoperable was a blow to the entire community.
"We're all devastated but like, I mean it's Mike, he's going to beat it," Hemming said, becoming emotional.
She and Mann said they wanted to hold the fundraisers in the morning since Johnson liked to meet clients as early as 5 a.m. They said Johnson and his family always raised money for brain tumor research through the annual Race for Hope in Washington, D.C. Through these local fundraisers, the community is giving back to the Johnsons.
"It's nothing official — who know, maybe one day it will be," Mann said.
The next two fundraisers will be a bootcamps given by trainers from Dedicated Fitness at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 and Saturday, Sept. 21, both at the park on Key Parkway across the street from Gold's Gym. A fourth fundraiser may be held on Saturday, Sept. 28 and Hemming said the public should check the Facebook page "Fighting For Mike" for additional details.
True to Johnson's laidback style, Mann and Hemming said people don't have to be fitness buffs or even regular gym-goers to attend the events.
Donations of $20 are encouraged, but Hemming said they would accept any amount or even gift cards to grocery stores. For tax purposes, checks can be made out to Christ Reformed United Church with "The Johnson Family Fund" in the memo. They can be mailed to the church at 12 S. Church St., Middletown, Md., 21769.
Mary Johnson called the training community's support of her husband and her family "wonderful."
"He has great friends there. He never wanted to miss a day going to the gym," Mary said. "I think that really helped him get through a lot of what he's been through."
Events to raise money for Mike Johnson and his family are as follows:
Saturday, 7 a.m., Bootcamp by Dedicated Fitness, at park on Key Parkway across from Gold's Gym Westridge, 1051 W. Patrick St., Frederick
Sept. 21, 7 a.m., Bootcamp by Dedicated Fitness, at park on Key Parkway across from Gold's Gym Westridge, 1051 W. Patrick St., Frederick
Sept. 28, event planning is still in the works.
For more information, check the Fighting For Mike Facebook page.
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