‘I chose to heal’: Michelle Johnson’s journey from county administrator to cancer survivor

CHARLES CITY COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- When Michelle Johnson resigned from her position as Charles City County administrator, she did so reluctantly and with a great deal of heartbreak.

She worked for the county for 20 years, serving in various roles before becoming administrator in 2017.

"I put all 100 percent of my heart and soul into the career and my job," said Johnson of the long days and nights she gave to her jobs. "I sacrificed a lot for this community. My then-secretary said, 'Miss Johnson, it's been 16 months and you haven't taken a day off yet.'"

For Johnson, the reason was simple. Charles City County is where she grew up, where she lives and where many of the people she knows and love live too.

"This community means a lot to me, and I wanted to see it grow and flourish like other communities around us," Johnson said.

But then, a series of doctor's appointments ground to a halt all her work in the county and beyond.

"In September of 2024, you know, oncologists informed me that I had breast cancer and, you know, I was devastated," Johnson said.

She said she knew it was no longer possible to do the work she was so passionate about. The best laid plans would have to cross the finish line with someone else at the helm.

"I was at the height of my career. I wanted to bring other opportunities to the community," she said. "To know that I could not see that forth, really broke my heart. But for once in my life, I chose me. I chose to heal."

After leaving her job and scaling back community commitments, Johnson endured six rounds of chemotherapy and 25 rounds of radiation.

And then, Johnson vigorously clanged the bell every person with a cancer diagnosis dreams of ringing as they cross the threshold from cancer battle to survival.

Johnson still has one more surgery to get this summer, but in the meantime, she's getting to enjoy some of the fruits of her decades of labor.

Market 5, a shipping container park along the Capital Trail, was one of many county projects Johnson was spearheading before she left to undergo treatment. She said it was the first container complex of its kind in Virginia.

"Now I see a couple of options that have come in the Richmond area," said Johnson. "I'm like, 'Oh, okay, so we're starting a trend here.'"

Now she gets to enjoy grabbing lunch, shopping and pedaling fiercely through spin class there, all as a citizen.

There’s also the county food pantry she helped create, the first of its kind via a program funded by the state. Even as she heals, Johnson said she volunteers there every Wednesday, to help organize items distributed to 160 to 195 households who drive through the receiving line every Tuesday morning.

"Charles City County is classified as a food desert," said Johnson of why she worked on the project. "There are so many people who you know, getting quality food, it's difficult, you know, some are on fixed incomes."

In addition to the county, Johnson worked with state and local businesses to bring the pantry to life. She did so again when transitioning the county's volunteer-only fire and EMS service to a collaboration between volunteers and a new full-time staff. She said that has cut the ambulance response time in half from 18 to 28 minutes.

"You know, sometimes that, you know, that's a life-or-death situation," Johnson said. "So one of the things, the first things that I did as county administrator was say, 'You know what? We need 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage.'"

While she's proud of how that work has helped her neighbors, Johnson still lives in her hometown. Just recently, she and her family benefitted from her work too.

"Having to call 911 myself, like, literally two weeks ago.... 'I'm Michelle Johnson, a citizen who needs a service for family member,' and, and was able to get quality care and service from the staff that I think all of that was worth it," she said.

Johnson herself is feeling healthier than ever. That has allowed her to ease back into her community commitments at her church, the community advisory board for Virginia Public Media and the Span Center -- which helps the aging population of Central Virginia.

She's also planning to launch a podcast and two different brands related to her motivational speaking and her faith. She's now walking the path of entrepreneurship in a bid to help other women become stronger leaders in the way people consistently applaud her for, especially in her work for the county.

“I'm not remarkable," said Johnson, remarking on her nomination as one of WRIC's 2026 Remarkable Women nominees. "I just did a job that I love to do, you know? I'm born and raised here in Charles City. This is my home."

Watch Michelle Johnson’s extended WRIC+interview with Digital Streaming Executive Producer Mary Catherine Price, below.