Sgt at Arms

Hi, my name is Daniel Johnson, better known as Sasquatch.

I’ve been with Guardians of the Children for some time now, but I’ve never really measured my time with GOC by months or years. I measure it by something much more important—the miles of smiles.

I’ve always believed that a smile and a good laugh can carry you through some of the hardest moments in life. That belief has become an important part of who I am and why I take so much pride in what I do with GOC. Being a Guardian has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

My childhood wasn’t always easy. I spent some time in a group home, and I was bullied for much of my early school years. By middle school, I had finally had enough. I learned to stand up for myself, but more importantly, I realized that there were other kids who were going through the same things I was.

By high school, I started bringing those kids together. The kids who were bullied. The kids who felt left out. The kids who sat alone at lunch and didn’t feel like they belonged anywhere. We became a group, and some of those people became some of the best friends I could have ever asked for.

Looking back, I realize that I never really stopped doing that. I’ve always had a place in my heart for the people who feel like they don’t have a place anywhere else.

Then I found Guardians of the Children.

From the beginning, something just felt right. I looked around and saw people who weren’t afraid to stand up for children who had already been through more than any child should have to endure. I saw Guardians who were willing to be the people a child could look toward and know, “Someone is here for me.”

To me, my fellow Guardians are the heroes I never had growing up. And being given the opportunity to stand beside them—to bring smiles, laughter, hope, and a sense of family to children who need it most—is something I will never take for granted.

I don’t know how many miles are ahead of us, but I know exactly what I’ll be measuring them by.

Miles of smiles.

When a child calls, we ride.