Connie Johnson passed away Friday at the age of 40, after a prolonged battle with breast and liver cancer.
The mother-of-two had entered hospice earlier in the year, with continued updates from her brother Samuel Johnson through the pair’s Love Your Sister page.
Her brother took to Facebook to share a heartfelt message following his sisters passing, writing that she ‘went so richly, and with such grace’.
Connie Johnson (pictured), the sister of actor Samuel Johnson, passed away Friday after a long battle with breast and liver cancer
‘We lost Connie today. Or, as she asked me to say, she died of cancer today. It was so beautiful,’ he said.
‘We laughed, we cried, we sang stupid songs from our childhood to her, which she loved (mostly!). I read her so many village messages, which she relished.
‘Trust me, she was genuinely cushioned by your love, till the end.’
Mr Johnson wrote that he was sad and sorry to inform others of her death, but felt grateful and proud to uphold her legacy.
‘I’m off to cuddle the fam and warmly embrace an exquisite whisky, in memory of my sister, who did so bloody well, from start to finish,’ he wrote.
‘Thanks for everything, Connie Cottonsocks. It was my pleasure to be your Sammy Seal.
The mother-of-two had entered hospice earlier in the year, with her brother Samuel (picture here with Connie) continuing to provide updates on her condition through the pair’s Love Your Sister page
Her brother took to Facebook to share a heartfelt message following his sisters passing, writing that she ‘went so richly, and with such grace’
Her death came just hours after she received one of Australia’s highest honours for her dedication to raising awareness for breast cancer.
She got a visit from Governor-General Peter Cosgrove at her Canberra hospice on Thursday and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Her brother Sam Johnson took to Facebook to share a picture of his sister with her medal and said ‘her eyes danced like when we were kids’ when she was given it.
But he also revealed that the award came ‘just in time’ as his sister doesn’t have much time left.
‘The Governor General ‘popped in’ on Connie today. Can you see that shiny thing on her chest?’ he wrote.
‘It’s a Medal of The Order of Australia, awarded for her services to our community and humanity! Her eyes danced like when we were kids. She looked so alive.’
He added: ‘Afterwards, she looked at me sideways, coz she can’t move her head too well, and she kept saying, in her weak and raspy voice…’Can you believe it? Can you believe it? Look what we did. We did something!”
‘I wanted to tell you first before you hear about it through the media – her time is nigh. Let’s prepare, villagers. It’ll be very soon,’ he wrote.
Her brother Sam took to the Love Your Sister Facebook page to reveal Ms Johnson had received the award
Sam Johnson (above, with his sister) said her ‘eyes danced like when we were kids’
‘Our thanks to our new mate Pete Cosgrove, for making us all laugh in amongst all the pomp. And kudos to our new Lady Cottonsocks, for being exactly who she is.
‘This is an awful time, we won’t bullshit, but please believe that she feels SO cushioned by your love and has been finding so many rainbows.’
Ms Johnson has raised more than $5million towards what she calls ‘cancer vanquishment’ and recently set a world record.
Connie Johnson is in her final stages of breast and liver cancer, and has moved into a hospice
The mother-of-two says though her condition is deteriorating, she is ‘not there yet’ when it came to accepting she was dying
Although she is in the final stages of breast and liver cancer, and has ceased all major treatment, she has said that she’s not about to give in to her disease.
Last month, she told Kristen Henry she was ‘not there yet’, when it came to dying because she still has ‘too much to do’ and ‘the fight must go on’.
‘I want to take the kids to the circus, we’ve never been to a circus,’ she said.
She added: ‘At any moment those few little healthy pieces of liver can be taken over by cancer and at that point I go into liver failure.’
Ms Johnson has raised more than $5million for what she calls ‘cancer vanquishment’
She runs charity foundation Love Your Sister alongside her actor brother, Sam Johnson (right)
Ms Johnson says she still has ‘too much to do’ before she gives in to her disease, but recognises it is becoming harder to live in her body