Farewell to "Pops": Dans La Rue founder Father Emmett Johns dies at 89

What Pops meant to Montreal's street kids Father Emmett Johns, who founded Dans La Rue, left behind a legacy. Former executive director Aki Chitacov on what he meant to street kids.

Father Emmett Johns, famous for reaching out to Montreal’s homeless youth and other acts of charity, has died. He was 89.

Dans La Rue, the organization Johns founded and where he earned the affectionate nickname “Father Pops,” announced his passing on its Facebook page on Sunday.

Johns was born on April 3, 1928 and grew up in Plateau Mont-Royal. Born to a pious Irish family, he spent his youth yearning to do missionary work.

He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in theology from the Universite de Montreal and a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola College.

Early in his career, he worked as a priest and vicar in various parishes, then as chaplain of Verdun’s Douglas Hospital and in two homes for troubled young girls.

In 1988, suffering from depression and seeking new meaning in life, he took out a personal loan of $10,000 from a credit union to fund his “Le Bon Dieu Dans La Rue” trailer, offering shelter and food to street youth. He crisscrossed Montreal’s streets at all hours in search of those in need.

“Boots, warm socks, anything warm, kangaroos, these kinds of things we're looking for – and money,” Johns told CTV in a 1999 interview.

He later changed the name to simply “Dans La Rue” to remove the religious reference, but maintain the same humanitarian mission of helping young people without judging them.

What those he helped appreciated most, was how non-judgmental he was, no matter how low they'd fallen.

“At first when we were working with the kids, it was PCP and marijuana and then they turned their nose up at the junkies. And now, many of our young people are junkies,” Pops told CTV in another interview, this one from 1996.

He hated to say no, something youth intervention worker Dave Dumouchel remembers well.

“An example is a youth came up and says, ‘I really need 10 bucks for this thing. I really need 10 bucks.’ I'm the counselor and I'm like, ‘Well, I hear that you need 10 dollars. It must be tough.’ You do all the counseling and bring tools and whatnot and then you get Pops behind you saying, ‘Just give him 10 bucks,’” said Dumouchel, who works at Dans la Rue as a coordinator/first line intervention worker.

Johns opened a shelter, dubbed “The Bunker,” and in 1997 expanded to a day centre where young people could take classes, participate in workshops on music, computers and more, as well as offering psychological support. In April 2009, the day centre was renamed the Emmett Johns School.

Dans La Rue would grow to eventually employ 65 people and 135 volunteers.

"He probably transformed the lives of countless young people who had lost their way and had, through the support of Pops, got their life back together and moved on," explained Matthew Pearce, director of the Old Brewery Mission. "That certainly won't be the case for everyone, but he certainly helped a lot of people."

During his life, Johns was honoured numerous times, including a certificate of honourary membership from the Canadian Pedatric Society in 2007, the 2003 Quebec Institute of Psychological Health and Wellness Award and a humanitarian award from Quebec Association of Psychiatrists.

In October 2009, he was the recipient of Montreal’s Therese-Daviau Prize, given to members of the community who contributed to the quality of life of Montrealers.

He was also given honourary doctorates from Concordia, UQAM and McGill, as well as a medal from the Universite de Montreal.

Johns was named a Grand Officer of National Order of Quebec in 2003 and a member of the Order of Canada in 1999.

Johns was always inspiring others to do more for the city's youth, said Welcome Hall Mission CEO Sam Watts.

“He was one of those guys who saw a situation, was dissatisfied with the situation, and decided to set out and change it,” he said.

On Twitter, various Quebec and Canadian politicians paid their respect to the late Johns, celebrating his life's work and the lasting impact it will have on Montrealers.

“Montreal lost a very important man, a very important Montrealer,” said Mayor Valerie Plante as condolences poured in.

The deepest sadness, though, is being felt at Dans la Rue.

Dans la Rue volunteer Romeo Dodd-May first met Pops eight years ago.

“He was a very sweet man,” he said. “He'd try to correct me and put me in the right state of mind."

“Everyone, every soul, every single person, was very important actually to him,” said Executive Director Cecile Arbaud.

Click here for details on funeral arrangements and other events to celebrate Father Johns's legacy.