About the author
The beloved son of Dr. Maureen Hackeling Johnson and Dr. William Carlyle Johnson, Sean was born in Raleigh and grew up in Cary, North Carolina with his parents and two older sisters, Breanna and Maura, whom he treasured and loved dearly.
Sean attended Highcroft Elementary, Salem and Mills Park Middle Schools, and Panther Creek High School. For college, he completed coursework at North Carolina State University and Wake Technical Community College, where he was pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. He worked as a lifeguard, pizza delivery driver and computer programmer.
Sean had a brilliant mind and a wide range of interests. He had a great appreciation for music, art, history and politics, auto repair, and he recently found new passions in disc golf, cooking, and unicycle riding. Through each of his jobs and interests, he cultivated a network of close friends who loved him for his warmth, loyalty, kindness, and wonderful sense of humor. Many of his friends have told us that Sean was their best friend, and we know that Sean considered each of them to be his best friend as well.
Sean is remembered by all as a kind, sensitive, and caring person whose compassion for others was influenced by his own struggles. He had a deep empathy for those who were misunderstood, lonely, or who faced discrimination, including those impacted by mental illness and addiction. He found relief and joy through close friendships and humor, and often said that his one goal in life was to be happy and to make others happy. In that goal, he truly succeeded.