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A 48-day cycling trek that began on Canada Day in British Columbia culminated with a welcoming home for a Port Dover family on Sunday afternoon and more than $285K for Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice.
Published Aug 17, 2025 • Last updated 51 minutes ago • 2 minute read
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Dan Johnson (centre) and his wife Jill (right) are joined by about 160 cyclists as they return to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover on Sunday August 17, 2025. Dan Johnson cycled from British Columbia to his Port Dover home over 48 days while his family followed in a recreational vehicle. Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Dan Johnson places his late son Luke’s BMX bicycle next to the bike upon which he cycled from British Columbia to his Port Dover home over 48 days, while his family followed in a recreational vehicle. Johnson made the final leg of the journey Sunday on his son’s bike.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Dan and Jill Johnson pose with their late son Luke’s BMX bicycle upon their return to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover on Sunday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Jill and Dan Johnson thank supporters upon their return to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover on Sunday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Miranda Mullett and her nine-year-old daughter Lucy placed their painted thumb prints on a board to be presented to the Johnson family on Sunday at Silver Lake Park in Port Dover.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Christine McCoy of Simcoe was among a long line of people to greet Dan Johnson on his return to Port Dover on Sunday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
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Toggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image
Dan Johnson (centre) and his wife Jill (right) are joined by about 160 cyclists as they return to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover on Sunday August 17, 2025. Dan Johnson cycled from British Columbia to his Port Dover home over 48 days while his family followed in a recreational vehicle. Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Dan Johnson places his late son Luke’s BMX bicycle next to the bike upon which he cycled from British Columbia to his Port Dover home over 48 days, while his family followed in a recreational vehicle. Johnson made the final leg of the journey Sunday on his son’s bike.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Dan and Jill Johnson pose with their late son Luke’s BMX bicycle upon their return to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover on Sunday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Jill and Dan Johnson thank supporters upon their return to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover on Sunday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Miranda Mullett and her nine-year-old daughter Lucy placed their painted thumb prints on a board to be presented to the Johnson family on Sunday at Silver Lake Park in Port Dover.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
Christine McCoy of Simcoe was among a long line of people to greet Dan Johnson on his return to Port Dover on Sunday.Photo by Brian Thompson /The Expositor
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A 48-day cycling trek that began on Canada Day in British Columbia culminated with a welcoming home for a Port Dover family on Sunday afternoon.
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Dan Johnson cycled about 5,000 kilometres in the Live Like Luke Canada Crossing fundraiser to benefit the Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice, while his wife Jill and children Hosanna and Pearce followed in a recreational vehicle.
Johnson was joined by more than 160 cyclists just before noon on Sunday for the final leg from Port Ryerse to Silver Lake Park in Port Dover. He entered the park riding his late son’s BMX bicycle.
The family lost their youngest child Luke at the age of eight to a brain tumour in July of 2024, and before his passing utilized end-of-life care at the Stedman Community Hospice in Brantford.
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Haldimand Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady said she watched the daily videos the Johnson family posted to their Facebook page and praised Dan for his perseverance.
“Dan’s ride was not just about endurance or distance. It was about honouring the memory of a very special boy: Luke,” Brady said. “He was known for his big heart, courage, and the joy he brought into the lives of absolutely everyone he met, and those that knew him.”
Johnson’s initial request was for people to donate $50 that would represent one brick in the to-be-built NHCH in Jarvis.
Donations collected at Silver Lake Park on Sunday afternoon totaled $7,275 that, combined with fundraising by local Domino’s Pizza outlets and an anonymous donation of $25,000, brought the total raised so far to $285,791.
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“The Johnson family has done an incredible job promoting the Live Like Luke Canada Crossing project,” said NHCH executive director Andrea Binkle. “Their story is heartfelt in regard to what they went through and their experience with the hospice, and their belief that we need a hospice in Haldimand Norfolk.”
Binkle said that 10 acres of land outside of Jarvis have been donated for the NHCH project. Architects are working on applications for rezoning with Haldimand County, and artist renderings will be going up on the hospice website soon. Building permits will be applied for once rezoning is done.
“We are about 25 to 30 per cent towards our goal of $14 million so this will help us move closer to that 50 per cent mark,” Binkle noted. “Every day, Dan talked about the hospice, the value of it, and how important it is to the community.”
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Dan Johnson thanked the hundreds who showed up to welcome the family back to Port Dover on Sunday.
“Thank you for being here,” he told the crowd. “The project was built to honour and inspire the life of Luke: who he was, what he stood for, and how he lived.”
An emotional Jill Johnson said she didn’t realize the blessing of hospice care until it was needed.
“I think that a hospice is a very special thing that can be brought to our communities,” she observed. “And we don’t know it yet, but it will be a very special place. It will be a place of honour, volunteering, and a wonderful place of love. That’s what we experienced with Luke. I hope that all families in Haldimand Norfolk will have that experience, if needed.”
bethompson@postmedia.com
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