Michael Johnson Foundation – Modest
Needs Application Statement
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To Whom It May Concern,
My journey has been one of extreme endurance. I was first placed in a mental institution at 4
years old. At the age of 7, I was kidnapped—a trauma that is documented alongside my history
in the system. I spent the next 32 years—until the age of 36—in and out of institutions, fighting
for my stability and my mind.
In 1994, my life was shattered by a tragedy in Fells Point, Baltimore, that was documented and
aired on Channel 2 News. When my wife at the time and I separated, she intentionally hid my
children and her location from me, running away to keep me from finding them. It was while she
was in hiding with them that my two-year-old daughter, Alicia, was strangled and starved to
death.
Following the police investigation and trial, Porthingia Johnson received a 40-year prison
sentence for her crimes and has been locked up ever since. During that same time, the weight
of losing my daughter led me to Springfield Hospital Center, where I spent two and a half years
in the mental health facility fighting to regain my stability and my mind.
I fought my way back through those dark years to become a professional caretaker, but tragedy
has recently returned to our doorstep. On March 1, 2026, my daughter Tynika Diane Johnson
was killed in a car accident. We held her Homegoing Celebration on March 27, 2026. She left
behind nine children, including one-year-old twins.
I am working every hour I can as a caretaker to provide, but we are currently trapped. My
partner and I are doing everything we can to hold this household together, but because we do
not have a vehicle large enough to transport everyone, my 16-year-old granddaughter is
currently forced to stay home from school. While I am at work, she has to stay back to care for
the two 1-year-old twins and the other young children because we have no way to get everyone
where they need to go.
My 72-year-old mother is too old to manage two active one-year-olds on her own, and with no
one else to watch them, the burden falls entirely on my granddaughter. On top of that, my
mother cannot keep dealing with the physical strain of trying to fit nine children into a space not
meant for them. We are currently forced to have children sitting on each other's laps, which is
unsafe and causes constant cramping and distress.
My granddaughter is losing her education because we lack transportation and childcare support.
I have identified a specific 2005 Ford Excursion that is large and safe enough for our entire
family. I am seeking $15,000 to purchase this vehicle, cover the taxes and tags, and get my
granddaughter back into the classroom where she belongs.
I am looking for this vehicle locally in or near West Baltimore. If there is a dealership or a donor
in the Baltimore area who can facilitate this purchase directly, I would be eternally grateful. I
have survived 53 years of fire, kidnapping, and the loss of two daughters. I am asking for the
tools to protect the nine lives Tynika left behind.
This is why I am turning to Modest Needs. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Michael Johnson
