Johnny Barnes

This last week in Bermuda was all about Mr. Johnny Barnes.  For those of you that live in Bermuda or have visited Bermuda know who Johnny Barnes is… (you know, Johnny Barnes, aka, Mr. Happy….The Waver….The Greeter…)  I had a conversation with someone over dinner the other night and I think we both agreed that Johnny Barnes is the most recognized Bermudian in history…

As you know, Johnny stands at the round about entering town, Monday – Friday from 5:00 am – 10:00 am.  He get’s there between 4:30 am and 4:45 am. Rain or shine, Johnny is there.

This year Johnny turned 89 year old and that has yet to stop him.  Over the past few months…I have noticed that Johnny has moved from his spot approximately 4′ to a nearby street sign to have something to hold onto.

Every day was the same until the next think you know, Johnny had a folding chair he was sitting on.  That was not the Johnny I knew.  Johnny has always stood and waved with both hands, yelling…I love you, I love you, I love you…and on and on..

As I made my way to work I kept saying to myself that I needed to say something to someone.  Someone needed to give Johnny a hand.  I would come home and tell Becky the same thing.  But, when I would pass Johnny..I would say this to myself..and forget when I got to the office.

Then on July 10th I wrote an email to the Bermuda Government, Department of Works & Engineering.  And I waited for a response.  Nothing.  On July 16th I sent a second email (the same email) but this time I sent to the Mayor of the City of Hamilton, Head of the Department of W&E, Bernews, the Bermuda Sun and the Royal Gazette.   Within 1 hour, I received a voice message from Graeme Outerbridge, the NEW Mayor of the City of Hamilton.  Graeme informed me that this was outside is responsibility and gave me a few suggestions…one being re-remind the Royal Gazette…our largest News Paper.

After re-sending my 2nd email, I received some undeliverable responses..so I had thought that again no one received my email.  (I guess I should have just picked up the phone and made a call…)

On the 18th I receive a text message from someone letting me know how nice it was what I was doing for Johnny.  What?  How did she know.  I said thanks but how did she know.  She let me know that she read it in the Bermuda Sun.  I quickly went to the Bermuda Sun online..and searched for Johnny Barnes.   And there, in the Opinion section, was my email I had sent to everyone.  Unedited…  Of course it was not written to be published but it helped get the ball rolling.

The article was published that morning just after 11:00 am, and by the afternoon I had received a email from the Bermuda Government that they were going to look into the situation.   I had also received a call from the Royal Gazette.  They want me to show them the issues with Johnny.

What I had forgotten to reference above was that when I was searching for my email on the Bermuda Sun, an article came up that Johnny had collapsed back around July 4 and the ambulance was called out.   I had not known this before my emails.

On Thursday, July 19, I met the Royal Gazette with Johnny and we let him know what I was trying to do.  I have never received as many thank yous as I did that morning.  Johnny explained that back on July 4, he fell.  It was not a heart attack, but he fell when he was trying to step out of the hole that he created next to the sign he was now holding onto.

On Friday, July 20, the Royal Gazette wrote a brief article on the situation…which received over 48 comments.  Both positive and negative.  Unfortunately, individuals reading the article thought the whole point was that I was “asking” the Government to do something.  Per my original email to Government…I had referenced that I wanted to put a group together to raise money and we wanted to do something.  I was asking for permission or approval.  Some of the comments on the RG just made me so angry…but I had let the anger go..and concentrate on the positive, the reason I had started this.

After the article ran and I read the comments, I felt I needed to contact Government again.  I wanted to reiterate that I was not asking for them to do anything, I had received so many emails and Facebook comments..that I could have raised over $10,000 that week alone.  I did not want people to think that I felt that Government was responsible for someone that has made his own decision to wave to commuters on a daily basis.  But that same afternoon, I received an email from W&E informing me they had met and had an idea for Johnny.

That following week, I receive a lot of comments on the streets about how nice I was?  Okay..thank you.  I do think that anyone else would have done this, but they just needed to speak up.

On July 25, as I was having lunch with a friend of mine, I received a call from the Royal Gazette…  “Mr. Spencer, have you seen Johnny’s new bench?”  Hmmm…no!  It wasn’t there that morning when I came to work.  W&E delivered a small bench in front of where Johnny used to stand in front of his concrete slab.

I met Johnny the next day, and he gave me a big Thank You and I love you…  Another article was put in the paper…and now all we wait for is the hand rail.

I am on the look out for someone else (or a group) that require help.  Someone that no one has spoken up for.