‘Each day is magical’: B.C. boy’s passion for elevators inspires uplifting generosity

Adam finds out how a Surrey boy’s unique passion inspired unexpected generosity and took one family’s story to new heights.

SURREY, B.C. — Johnnie Burk and his dad Kory are walking horizontally through a parking lot, on their way to rising vertically to the top of a building.

“It’s because I love elevators,” 10-year-old Johnnie says.

The father and son are in the midst of what they call their adventures, which they began embarking on three years ago.

“He just became fascinated by the lights, the sounds, the name of the elevator (brand),” Kory smiles.

Then-seven-year-old Johnnie—who’s on the autism spectrum—started researching and memorizing every detail about the elevators he’d encounter, from load capacity to model number.

“It’s not a passing phase,” Kory says. “It really is a passion.”

So every weekend, Johnnie and Kory would visit as many elevators as they could find.

“You get on the elevator and press the floor that you want to go to,” Johnnie explains, before pointing out he’s on a Schindler HD-338.

Johnnie films every ride on his dad’s phone and posts the videos on his Jonnie Elevators YouTube page.

His more than 1,000 videos document every second of the journey up and down, and include details ranging from stink (“It was smelling like cat litter”) to the speed (“Holy smokes! Holy smokes!”).

But after searching everywhere to buy Christmas and birthday presents for their now-10-year-old boy, Johnnie’s parents felt hopeless.

“I’m not sure if you know how hard it is to get elevator parts,” Kory says.

What they didn’t know was that the owners of a couple local elevator companies had seen Johnnie’s videos—and surprised him with all sorts of elevator parts that lifted his spirts higher than the elevator to the top of the CN Tower.

“He was blown away,” Kory smiles. “Nothing else mattered.”

And now, using a playing card that Johnnie crafted into a “staff card,” he accesses his elevator-themed bedroom, which is filled with elevator company souvenirs, elevator signs, elevator manuals, and a trio of actual elevator panels with buttons to press and keys to turn.

“I’m really thankful to the adults for getting me the parts,” Johnnie smiles.

While Kory is grateful for all those grown-up, too, he also couldn’t be more proud of how Johnnie seems to inspire people of all ages.

“When you find your passion, you find fulfillment,” Kory smiles. “And when you find fulfillment, each day is magical.”