Police officer takes on 12-hour fitness challenge in Budgy Smugglers
Meet Piper Johnson, Fortem’s Children and Family Ambassador
At 15 years old, Piper is Fortem’s youngest ambassador and represents the ‘ESKie’ community, a term she coined to describe the unique community of emergency service worker kids.
‘I am dedicated to bringing the perspective of family members and children of emergency service workers and the vital role they play in morally supporting our frontline workers, providing a well-deserved mental break from the challenges of being on the frontline,’ Piper says.
Piper’s Fortem journey began in 2021 when she was just 12.
‘In Year 6, our grade competed in a district-wide school speech competition where we could talk about any topic we were passionate about. I chose to speak about my unique perspective as a young child of a firefighter, discussing how my home life was different than my friends,’ Piper said.
‘I had come to understand from a young age that my dad sacrificed many things to save the lives of so many people in need, and sometimes that affected me mentally, morally and emotionally, which many people don’t realise. I coined the term ‘ESKie’ to describe the unique community of emergency service worker kids who could understand the challenges I faced.’
Due to COVID, Piper had to record her final speech in her bedroom between zoom classes while missing out on typical year 6 experiences like the annual Canberra excursion, but this was the start of something amazing.
‘My speech was forwarded on to the Fire & Rescue NSW Commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell, who passed on my speech to Fortem. Fortem then was kind enough to offer me an ambassadorship which has allowed me to meet so many amazing people all with stories similar to mine.’
She also finally made it to Canberra and met with the Governor General for Thank a First Responder Day in 2023.
‘My idea with this speech was to make my fellow peers aware of the many ESKies that walk amongst us and how we can follow the challenging, winding paths and follow them through to see the mountain we have climbed. I never would have expected it to turn into anything as open and easily accessible as this, and thanks to Fortem, I have a chance to tell at least one ESKie that they’re not alone, and that there’s a community of kids just like them who will be there to support them.’
When asked how she likes to boost her own wellbeing, Piper said she loves going on walks and exercising her body.
‘I’ve been a black belt in Taekwondo since November 2022 which allows me to move my body and make friends of all ages. My dad and I are both black belts and we train with each other. I’ve also recently loved doing Pilates with my mum. When my body moves, my mind clears and I can be in the moment, maybe have a laugh with friends or family and connect.’
We asked Piper about something interesting she has learned recently, and while she has been learning to drive a car, she also shared an incredibly valuable life lesson: ‘That if you do something you love and enjoy, doing it well and successfully won’t become a chore, it will become a reward.’
And where would she like to travel next? ‘I’d love to go to a few places in Italy or France and spend days exploring cities the city and eating lots of food.’
Thanks so much for sharing, Piper, Fortem is so fortunate to have you as one of our incredible ambassadors.