David Johnston - Early Life and Education

Early Life and Education

Johnston was born in Sudbury, Ontario, to Lloyd Johnston, the owner of a hardware store, and Dorothy Stonehouse. He attended Sault Collegiate Institute in nearby Sault Ste. Marie, where he played under-17 hockey with future National Hockey League members Phil and Tony Esposito, before moving on to Harvard University in 1959, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in 1963. While at Harvard, under the coaching of Cooney Weiland, Johnston captained the varsity ice hockey team, was twice selected to the All-America team, and met and befriended Erich Segal, the two becoming jogging partners. In 1970, Segal wrote the best-selling novel Love Story, basing a character in the book—Davey, a captain of the hockey team—on Johnston. Johnston suffered three concussions from playing football and hockey; he was told by his doctor to either wear a helmet (at a time when they were unpopular) or stop playing hockey.

Johnston later attended the University of Cambridge, obtaining a Bachelor of Laws with honours in 1965, and another with first class honours from Queen's University in 1966. During that period, Johnston married his high school sweetheart, Sharon, with whom he has five daughters.

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