August’s Legacy
August Michael Johansen lived with a light that filled every room. In six years, he moved from silence to song, from hospital halls to the playground, and from signing “I love you” to speaking in full sentences. He loved Moana, Lightning McQueen, Legos, MagnaTiles, scooters, music, and delivering handmade notes like precious mail. His favorite lines were, “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” and “Oh, alright. I guess I’ll play golf.” He met hard days with humor and courage, and he taught everyone around him how to do the same.
Diagnosed at five months old, August learned to breathe on his own and found his voice. By six, he proudly attended his neighborhood kindergarten alongside his big brother. He transitioned peacefully at home in McKinney, Texas, on June 26, 2025, surrounded by love.
His story continues through the people he inspired to believe in hope, presence, and the power of pure love.
“Every little thing is going to be alright.“
Our Donation Story
After August transitioned on June 26, 2025, our family chose to donate tumor tissue from his brainstem for research. This decision reflected who he was in life—generous, brave, and focused on helping others. By sharing this tissue, we honor August and join the circle of families whose final gift advances science and brings us closer to a cure for childhood brain cancer.
Tissue donation happens with care and respect after autopsy. It gives researchers the chance to study what standard treatments cannot reveal and to develop better options for children yet to be diagnosed. We are grateful to every clinician, scientist, and advocate who carries this work forward. We also stand with the families who make this choice in love. August’s gift continues his legacy. His light now guides discovery, and his love keeps working in the world.
We created this tribute to honor our son, August, and to help other families facing childhood brain cancer. August lived six bright years filled with music, jokes, drawings, and the kind of courage that teaches everyone around it how to live. When he transitioned on June 26, 2025, we chose to donate tumor tissue from his brainstem so researchers could learn more and move closer to a cure. That choice felt true to who he was. Generous. Brave. Focused on helping others.
Your gift supports work that turns love into progress. Funds help expand awareness and access to post-mortem tissue donation, strengthen programs that guide families through this decision with care, and accelerate research that standard treatments and scans cannot answer. This work gives scientists the samples and data they need to ask smarter questions and build better options for children yet to be diagnosed.
If you are able, please give in August’s honor. Help us transform loss into discovery and hope into action. Every contribution carries his light forward and supports the future we want for every child and family.
