Tragedy is never expected and no one is ever prepared to deal with heartbreak, but for the Tomlinson-Deakin family, it struck in a big way on December 7th. As the public found out about Johannah’s untimely death, after a fierce battle with leukemia, fans of Louis, his mum and their family came together to find ways to make sense of the sadness. In true form of the incredible One Direction fandom, they began to donate to charity, started drives for other people affected by the disease, and they sent condolences online to Louis and his siblings, and to one another too.
Some people are never touched by the kind of light Johannah radiated daily, some people have never felt the care and compassion that people who were loved by Jay will continue to feel every moment of their lives. Jay was an angel every day she walked on this earth, and that same spirit lives on in her children. It also lives on in the charities she gave to and the causes close to her heart. It lives on in the lives of everyone she touched.
December 24th, Christmas Eve, is Louis Tomlinson’s birthday so charity drives for him were already in motion when Jay passed away. There were new initiatives put into place today by fans to make sure people who were feeling helpless could do something to pay their respects to Jay; these drives will benefit the lives of those with cancer and help fund treatment and possibly fund a cure for those still struggling every day with the disease.
These charity drives have already brought in incredible amounts of money, and the donations just keep rising. It’s a testament to who Johannah was as a woman, a mother, and a giver of compassion, strength, and hope. People are doing everything that they can in honor of her, to keep her name alive, to show their respects.
One of the charities is one sponsored by The Book Agency that Lou Teasdale tweeted out hours after the news of Johannah’s death became public.
Please donate to Bloodwise to help beat this cruel disease in memory of Jay and her brave family xxx https://t.co/D2PLVynxpC
— Lou Teasdale (@louteasdale) December 9, 2016
The sweet girls who set up Louis’ birthday drive also tweeted that their drive was now in honor of Johannah and all the kind things she’d done for Believe in Magic and so many other families in need.
@louteasdale please share our page in memory of Johannah for @believeinmagicx https://t.co/LkKXjtYrmV ??
— BIM Liverpool (@BIM_Liverpool) December 9, 2016
You can also assist 1D Fans Give in their charity drive for Louis’ birthday in honor of Johannah, doing like he did and taking your sadness to make someone else happy.
if any1 would like 2 donate to Louis' bday drive to honor Jay the link is https://t.co/XRqrK7FgwT "c'mon mom let's make someone happy today"
— 1D Fans Give (@1dfansgive) December 9, 2016
Or join 1D Fans Give and donate to Bloodwise – a charity that aims to help those suffering from cancers of the blood and strives to find treatments and a cure.
We have a Bloodwise donation link set up: https://t.co/VDoSRjSCvh Louis' bday charity link will stay open too so u can do both or either
— 1D Fans Give (@1dfansgive) December 9, 2016
There’s also a fan run giveaway for Louis’ birthday if you donate and follow the instructions on her Tumblr post which you can find through the link in her tweet. The money will go to the Eden Dora Trust; you can also donate in honor of Johannah.
A giveaway to raise money for @Louis_Tomlinson birthdaydrive @EdenDoraTrust
Please share and reblog to win!https://t.co/DbQAr1250H— Sarah ???? (@LouBear_85) October 4, 2016
If you’re unable to donate, spreading the word is just as important so please retweet some of the drives and send along messages of love and of comfort; there are few things in this world more painful than the loss of someone who held such a large part of our hearts; and Jay touched us all.