In the 10 years since tragedy triggered their initial gift, Brian and Janine Mortellaro have funded a COTC scholarship worth more than $115,000. It’s been a contribution not just toward students’ futures, but also the future of this community, and they’re starting to see returns on their investments.

Historically, the Mortellaro family has focused more on ownership. Brian’s father owned six McDonald’s restaurants in Knox County by the time Brian became involved. Now, they own 16, spanning five different counties.

For all that the family business has gained, in 2015, it lost one of its most beloved members. Mike Johnson, their 59-year-old physical plant supervisor, died of a heart attack while on a trail run in Mount Vernon. The Mortellaros immediately implemented a way to keep their friend’s memory alive. “I knew what I wanted to do,” Brian said. “I did Mike’s eulogy, and we had a scholarship established within a month.”

His legacy lives on through the Mike Johnson McDonald’s Scholarship — held at the Licking County Foundation — which annually rewards an outstanding COTC nursing student. Johnson’s daughters graduated from COTC’s nursing program, and the Mortellaros remember his pride in their path. His son is a police officer, and over the years, the scholarship has expanded to also include someone studying law enforcement. “Education and training were important to Mike,” Janine said. “Each time a young person is given something to make their life a little easier, it’s a good way to honor his memory.”

Cierra Hawkins received that life-altering gift. She earned the Mike Johnson McDonald’s Scholarship in 2024 — one of six total scholarships the fellow Knox County native nabbed that year. She wrote the Mortellaros about a scary hospital stay that solidified her decision to become a nurse. While pregnant with her son, serious complications forced her into an emergency premature delivery. Her baby boy remained in the NICU for more than a month afterwards. Throughout his stay, the nurses made her feel informed — and like a priority. “I wanted to do that for other people,” Hawkins recalled. “I wanted to educate them during scary or overwhelming times. I learned I could help people in a unique way.”

By the time she graduated from COTC with her associate degree in nursing, she had paid for five semesters completely with scholarship dollars. She now works her dream job as a labor nurse at Knox Community Hospital. It’s a full-circle moment — not just for Hawkins, who truly turned into the supportive force she once needed, but also for the Mortellaros. “They made an investment in me,” Hawkins said. “Now, I’m investing it back into the community I live in and serve.”