When someone truly values life, they not only live it, they give it.

Amanda Johnson, 28, lived a life of passion, joy, gratitude and service to others. She passed away Tuesday, Sept. 13, and is survived by a supportive family, her well-loved cats and a community that remembers her for her zealous love of life and passion for helping people.

“She invested her spirit, mind and body into everything she did,” said Amanda’s mother, Pam Johnson. “She had a very full life.”

Amanda was working on her liberal arts master’s thesis at UNCW and was a program assistant for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). Pam said that Amanda worked until the day she died, and that when Pam had to go to OLLI to inform Amanda’s supervisor and coworkers of her death they asked in earnest, “Was she sick?”

Amanda was born with a devastating heart condition that she had to cope with her entire life, but it never defined her, nor did it stop her from doing the things she loved.

“She was not at all disabled. She would say ‘I’m just a normal person living my life.’ She did an awful lot with what life gave her,” said Pam.

“She was all business,” said Amanda’s colleague Amy Keith, who shared an office with Amanda at OLLI. “She had a strong will, and when she set her eyes on a project, she would go for it with determination. Amanda never complained, but continued to push herself to new challenges.”

Amanda attended East Carolina University and earned a B.S. in communication and media production. An exceptional student, Amanda graduated magna cum laude, received the Outstanding Graduate Award in the School of Communication, and was a member of ECU’s most distinguished honors society, Phi Kappa Phi. She was also a recipient of the W. Keats Sparrow Award for excellence in writing and research, and her passion and skill in photography won her first place in a statewide 4-H contest.

“Those things meant a lot to her, but really she wanted to live her life,” said Pam.

Amanda moved to Wilmington in 2006 because of her love for theatre and cinema. According to Pam, that was the real reason; her excuse was that she was going to get a master’s degree.

Her interest in cinema and performing arts led her to become one of the founding members of the Magnolia Arts Center in Greenville, and while living in Wilmington, Amanda volunteered her time at the Cucalorus Film Festival.

“She did any kind of volunteering that would get her connected with people,” said Pam.

While pursuing her master’s, Amanda interned at WHQR for more than a year and continued to volunteer there after she became employed at OLLI.

“[Amanda] was filled with new ideas for our organization,” said Andy Brame, a financial assistant at OLLI.

Brame seconded the opinion that Amanda never complained. “She just looked for and found ways to accomplish things that needed to be done. Her dedication is certainly something we all will remember with fondness.”

Although she applied herself devotedly in her community, Amanda also had an avid desire to be connected with the larger world, and for this reason her family hosted several exchange students. She traveled all over the U.S. during her lifetime, from L.A. to New Orleans, all the while making strong and everlasting connections. Amanda also worked for the Center for Cultural Interchange to connect international travelers with host families.

“She loved to be part of the bigger world,” said Pam.

But Amanda’s love of travel did not stop there. She rejoiced in her freedom, which took her down nearly every bike path in Wilmington. It was her goal to ride them all, said Pam.

Amanda faced challenges that most people cannot imagine, but she was grateful for everything she had, every kindness she received and every second that she was alive. She didn’t just get by; she excelled in everything she did, and she never asked for anything. She was an inspirational young woman, and she leaves behind a legacy of love.

Amanda was a regular contributor to Heifer International, and she said her dream was to one day purchase a whole ark of animals for a village, so in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Amanda’s name to Heifer International, Women in Livestock Development Projects (Wild), 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.heifer.org.