Sean Johnson Rides 11,000 Miles in Support of Candlelighters

This August, Candlelighters parent, Sean Johnson, will be participating in the 2026 Hoka Hey™ Motorcycle Challenge, a 11,000 mile motorcycle ride across the country. Sean is riding and fundraising in support of Candlelighters For Children With Cancer, an organization that was there to support him throughout his family’s pediatric cancer journey.

Sean had his world turned upside down when his oldest son, Christian, was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of five. This diagnosis, Sean recalls, was “not only a devastating shock but a financial blackhole of unknowns.”

With Christian receiving treatment at a hospital 90 miles from home, the Johnson family faced the overwhelming challenge of balancing medical care, constant travel, mounting expenses, and the needs of their other children. Sean describes this part of their lives as something akin to “treading water fully clothed with weights on your ankles.”

Despite the uncertainty and fear surrounding his illness, Christian approached treatment with remarkable resilience. As Sean puts it, his son accepted it “as if this is what life is.” Christian remained in treatment until achieving remission in 2020. Today, at 17 years old, he is a thriving high school student, baseball player, and body builder with the kind of demeanor that his father describes as one that can only come from adversity.

The Johnson family was introduced to Candlelighters through the nurses caring for Christian during his leukemia treatment. Members of the organization visited the hospital with toys, encouragement, and a sense of companionship that helped ease an incredibly difficult time. Sean says he truly came to understand the impact of Candlelighters during the family’s first Christmas after Christian’s diagnosis.

“I learned what Christmas is about, what charity means, and what benevolence is.”

For the Johnson family, Candlelighters became far more than a charitable organization– it became a lifeline. The support they received helped Christian feel genuinely seen, cared for, and loved during an extremely hard chapter of his life.

It is because of this lasting impact that Sean has chosen to support Candlelighters through the 2026 Hoka Hey™ Motorcycle Challenge. This challenge, an 11,000 mile motorcycle ride across the United States in just 13 days without the use of electronic navigation, is an extreme test of endurance. Riders push themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally while raising awareness and support for causes that matter deeply to them. This year, the ride begins and ends in Woodstock, Illinois, and follows the Lakota motto “Ktentowshketon mnopmatsowen, ”which roughly translates to “try to live a good life. ”

Founded in 2010 by Jim Red Cloud of the Lakota Nation, the Hoka Hey™ Motorcycle Challenge is rooted in the Lakota Sioux principle of WOLAKOTA– a philosophy which encompasses peace, respect, and balance. The challenge encourages participants to pursue personal growth while inspiring positive action and service to others.

As Sean prepares for this demanding journey, he asks first and foremost for your thoughts of safety and endurance. The Hoka Hey™ Motorcycle Challenge is regarded as one of the most difficult motorcycle endurance rides, requiring immense physical stamina, mental focus, and resilience.

You can also support Sean’s mission by visiting https://charity.pledgeit.org/SeanRidesHokaHey where you can learn more about the Hoka Hey™ Motorcycle Challenge, read Christian’s story, contribute to Sean’s $10,000 fundraising goal for Candlelighters, and follow Sean’s progress throughout the ride using his live satellite tracker.