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FARMINGTON — Kris Johnson goes for a walk every morning to show gratitude to the world she lives in and the God she loves — and she picks up trash along the way.
For the past two decades, Johnson has walked an hour a day between Farmington and Centerville carrying a garbage sack and picking up every piece of garbage she sees. She does this all while saying hello to those she passes — even telling a joke or a spiritual thought along the way.
But just like anyone who walks this Earth with a garbage bag in tow, or not, Johnson has a story.
Eighteen years ago, Johnson was going about life, doing all the things she hoped to do as a mother of eight and a new grandmother. She had weddings to prepare for, a son on a church mission and a daughter in kindergarten. Life was full of good and hard things, and Johnson was living a full life.
That same year, however, she got sick with the shingles virus and, a few months later, was hit with what her doctors called the worst case of encephalitis they had ever seen.
The Mayo Clinic describes encephalitis as an inflammation of the brain that has several causes, including autoimmune, viral or bacterial infection; and even insect bites. There are even unexplained causes and Johnson's case seems to be one that fell into that category. Unfortunately, in extreme cases, encephalitis can be fatal and her doctors feared the worst.
Our dad asked all of us to come to the hospital because they just didn't know what was going to happen.
–Mindee Hoopes
Johnson's oldest daughter Mindee Hoopes, who was a mother herself when this all happened, said her mom who seemed to be able to do it all, was suddenly very sick.
"At first, she wasn't feeling well and was running a fever but she was still functional," Hoopes recalled. "My dad took her to the E.R. twice, and they thought she was just dehydrated. Around that time, we had a family dinner for one of my brother's birthdays, and that was when we really noticed something was wrong."
Hoopes recalled watching her mom cut a large sheet cake into tiny pieces and, that same day, forgetting the name of one of her children.
"That was when we kind of really got some red flags, and knew that she wasn't just sick and running a fever — like there's a major problem here when she can't recognize one of their own kids and remember their name," Hoopes said.
Another trip to the hospital revealed encephalitis, and Johnson was told that she needed to prepare for the worst.
"The doctors told me that I needed to go home and give my kids my final goodbyes because the doctors didn't know if I would live," Johnson recalled.
Hoopes, who was 29 years old and expecting her fourth child at the time, described it as very difficult time for the whole family.
"The doctors just didn't know if she would make it or not, because she was so bad," Hoopes recalled. "Our dad asked all of us to come to the hospital because they just didn't know what was going to happen."
After several weeks in the hospital, Johnson recovered enough to return home, but Hoopes said she was never really the same. She said as the years have gone on, her mother's ability to remember things — particularly in the short-term — has declined.
Keeping faith amid adversity
Hoopes explained her mom's short-term memory isn't very good, but she remembers things in her childhood very well and the closer it gets to the encephalitis incident, her memories start to get a little cloudy. Even with the loss in memory, there is one thing Johnson has held onto, and that is her faith in God and devotion to her religious beliefs.
Amid the many stories she shares with those she comes in contact are also lyrics to children's songs and memorized scriptures and talks. During her interview with KSL.com, Johnson spoke about her favorite Latter-day Saint Primary song titled, "A Child's Prayer," where the words in the first verse ask, "Heavenly Father, are you really there, and do you hear and answer every child's prayer?"
While she loves the song, Johnson prefers to sing it as a statement, because she "knows" God is there and answers prayers.
"I know that you are there and that you hear and answer all my prayers. Some say heaven is far away, but I feel it close around me each and every day. So many blessings have been poured down on me. I recognize each one of them comes directly from Thee to me.
"When I pray he's there, when I speak He is listening. I know I am his child. His love completely surrounds me.
"I want to go back home and live with him some day. There's so much I need to know to do if I want my dream to come true. And I want that so much because you see, I want to live with Heavenly Father and Mother, with my Savior, special friends and most especially with my precious family. I want to live with these choice individuals throughout eternity. This is my goal, you see."
The above verses, Johnson sang along to the familiar Primary tune, reiterating how important it is for her to do all she can to make it back to live with God and her little girl she lost in childbirth.
"On my daughter's headstone, there is a picture of the Savior, and every time I see it, I think, 'Honey, I know where you are. I'll try to get there," she said.
A selfless life
Hoopes, who has nine children, remembers her mother as someone who did it all and loved her kids and community deeply.
"She's very, very thorough and she loves to serve," Hoopes said. "While we were growing up, she always wanted to make really good use of her time and she wanted to be productive. So that kind of shows through on her walking. She used to throw people's newspapers on their porch for them, but not many people take the newspaper anymore. Now she picks up the garbage. Sometimes she'll stop and weed someone's flower bed, or whatever. She really gets a lot of satisfaction from being able to provide whatever kind of service that she can."
As much as Johnson gives back to the community, Hoopes said she wanted to thank the wonderful people in Farmington for taking such good care of her mom.
"Farmington is good for her and people know her," Hoopes said. "I just think being there in Farmington has been a real blessing to her and I'm glad she has that community to love and take care of her, too."
