This is the story of a boy who arrived in Rhodesia with nothing more than his name, unable to speak English, but with a resilience that would one day become the backbone of a family. The Sum of Us follows Johnny's extraordinary journey from Madeira Island, to the bush of Zimbabwe, and a new beginning in Australia.
It is a memoir of unlikely connections: a childhood marked by hardship and survival, a young soldier in the bush war that could so easily have ended his story, a train accident that should have, and a love story that didn't only change his life, it built a whole new one. When Johnny and Elise's paths met on a tennis court, neither could have guessed the adventure that awaited them: eight children, countless detours, heartbreak, miracles, and more laughter than either of them expected.
Told with warmth, honesty, and gentle humour, this book captures the unbreakable spirit of a man who refused to be defined by his beginnings, and the woman who walked beside him through the storms, surprises, and blessings. Together they created a life spread across continents, bonded by a deep faith, a stubborn hope, and plenty of love.
The Sum of Us is a celebration of family, survival, forgiveness, quiet courage and determined resilience.
