Mount Clemens honors 33-year-old business owner after his death

Nearly $400,000 has been raised in the days since Marcel Johnson’s death, a sum that reflects the widespread support for the Mount Clemens father and business owner. Johnson, who was 33, passed away on Monday after a year-long fight with Stage 4 cancer.

The 2025 diagnosis led Johnson and his wife, Taylor, to document their experience publicly on social media. They shared detailed accounts of his treatment and the impact of the disease on their family of seven. Johnson spoke to 7 News Detroit shortly after the diagnosis in August 2025, describing the moment as feeling like a long dream. He continued posting until the end of his life.

The news of his death spread quickly through the city. Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp learned of his passing when Taylor posted the announcement on social media. Kropp stated that Johnson’s story had reached people far beyond the immediate neighborhood. The community began organizing support almost immediately. A GoFundMe campaign launched to assist the family, and Raw Juice, a Chesterfield business owned by a close friend, started a meal train to provide food for Taylor and their five children.

Locals in downtown Mount Clemens described the bakery as a central hub. Diane Kubik, owner of Max & Ollie’s, a store located just feet from the bakery, called the loss tragic. She noted that visitors to the area frequently stop at Lil Daddy’s Cheesecakes. On Wednesday, a woman who had never met the family was seen kneeling and praying outside the shop. She explained that Johnson’s focus on his family’s future inspired her to pay her respects despite their lack of prior connection.

The city plans to install posters reading “Forever in Our Hearts” throughout the downtown district. Kropp viewed the bakery as a lasting legacy of Johnson and Taylor. Lil Daddy’s Cheesecakes is currently closed to the public.

The business is expected to announce its reopening date on Facebook.