One day in kindergarten, his class made clay handprints. After the teacher cut a circle in the clay around his hand, Patrick asked if he could have the corner scraps. He stepped out on to the playground and was overwhelmed with joy and possibilities. He remembers seeing the clay squish in between his fingers, and for the first time in his life, felt alive.

Since Johnston's epiphany, he has earned a degree in ceramic design from the Rhode Island School of Design, and has been written about in numerous publications such as the LA Times Magazine.