Johnny May facts for kids

Johnny May was born in 1945. He is a Canadian Inuk pilot from Kuujjuaq. He is famous for being the first Inuk pilot in eastern Canada. Johnny May has helped many people. He saved lives by flying search-and-rescue missions. He also flew special planes called medevacs to take sick Inuit people to hospitals. Johnny May is the older brother of Mary Simon, who is Canada's Governor General.

Johnny May's Family Life

Johnny May's father was a manager at a Hudson's Bay Company trading post. This was in a place called Fort Severight, which is now Kangiqsualujjuaq. His mother was a local Inuk woman.

Johnny May has seven brothers and sisters. One of his sisters is Mary Simon. She used to be the president of Makivik Corporation. She was also a diplomat. Today, Mary Simon is the Governor General of Canada. This means she represents the King of Canada in the country.

Johnny May's Flying Career

Johnny May got his pilot's license in 1962. He trained to fly planes in Pennsylvania. After that, he started his own company called Johnny May's Air Charters.

He flew many important missions in the Arctic tundra. He did search-and-rescue flights to find people who were lost. He also flew medevac planes. These planes took sick people from Inuit villages to hospitals in southern Canada.

The Christmas Candy Drop

Johnny May is also well-known for a special Christmas tradition. From 1965 until 2019, he would do an annual Christmas candy drop. On Christmas Day, he would fly his airplane over the village of Kuujjuaq. From his plane, he would drop candy and gifts for everyone below. It was a very exciting event for the community.

Johnny May's Legacy

Johnny May has received many honors for his work. In 2010, he was added to the Québec Air and Space Hall of Fame. This is a special place that recognizes important people in aviation.

His life and career have also been featured in several creative works:

• A movie about him, called The Wings of Johnny May, came out in 2014. It was available in English, French, and Inuktitut.
• In 2015, a children's book was released. It was called The Kuujjuaq Christmas Candy Drop by Linda Brand. It tells the story of his famous candy drop.
• A short animated film was made by the CBC in 2017. It was titled The Great Northern Candy Drop.
• In 2023, a children's picture book was published in Quebec. Its title is The Little Nunavik Airplane / Painngupaali arvitartuq / Le p’tit avion du Nunavik. This book tells the story of Pengo Pally, which is Johnny May's little beaver aircraft. The book takes readers on a tour of the Nunavik region. It shows the unique beauty and culture of the area. The story was inspired by Johnny May and his Christmas Candy Drop tradition.