Matt Roenigk with his son Grant looking at a friend’s car during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
To the Limit Motorsportz filled its parking lot with classic and modern cars Saturday, April 25, to benefit Jim Johnston, a Saxonburg community member battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much love for our family in my life,” said Michaela Roenigk, Johnston’s daughter. “Everyone’s been here and asked how they could help.”
The Johnston and Roenigk families have cemented themselves in the Saxonburg community through their willingness to help and Roenigk’s mother, Leeanna Johnston, owning Kelley’s Family Restaurant on Main Street for more than 20 years.
“It was a little overwhelming, because we’re normally the ones that are trying to help other people, so accepting help the first time was a little hard being on the other side of it,” Roenigk said.
Her dad was diagnosed with State 4 pancreatic cancer Oct. 1. She said 50-year-old Johnston was at his grandson’s baseball game one night when the family noticed he was jaundiced.
“That was his only symptom,” Roenigk said.
Johnston went to the hospital shortly after and was diagnosed with the cancer, which had already spread to his liver.
“(He’s) definitely had his ups and downs,” Roenigk said. “It’s a really aggressive cancer.”
She also said the Saxonburg Rotary hosted a bingo benefit for Johnston on Wednesday, and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network hosted benefit walk PurpleStride 2026 on Saturday in Pittsburgh to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
She encouraged people to donate to pancreatic cancer research.
“The support from the community has been really overwhelming,” Roenigk said.
Zach Davis, owner of To the Limit Motorsportz, has been hosting benefits annually for five years on the last Saturday in April. The business itself incorporated in 2016.
“With (the Johnstons’) support of the community, this was our chance to pick them to help give back to their family,” Davis said.
He added that the family has been involved in many community events over the years, for the Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company and other businesses.
Davis said the benefit events started when a community member was trying to host a spaghetti dinner benefit but couldn’t find a venue, so he suggested turning it into a car show and offered his business’s property off North Isabella Street.
“Each family is a local family,” Davis said of those who have hosted events with him. “They either fell on hard times of some sort of illness (or had) a loss in the family of some sort.”
Both Davis and Roenigk worried about the rain Saturday, but were pleasantly surprised it didn’t keep visitors away, they added.
From left, Tilly, Nora and Blake Roenigk make balloon art during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Birch Foley cleans the rainwater from his 2018 Mustang GT during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Birch Foley cleans the rainwater from his 2018 Mustang GT during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Various trucks and cars were displayed during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Tilly, left, Nora, and Blake Roenigk make balloon art during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Various trucks and cars were displayed during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
From left, Tilly, Nora and Blake Roenigk make balloon art during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Andrew Bryan places a ticket inside a gift bag auction during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Birch Foley cleans the rainwater from his 2018 Mustang GT during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
Birch Foley cleans the rainwater from his 2018 Mustang GT during a benefit cruise held annually at To the Limit Motorsportz to raise money for Jim Johnston, who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Saxonburg on Saturday, April 25. Rob McGraw/Buter Eagle
Rob McGraw
To the Limit Motorsportz hosted a car cruise Saturday, April 25, to benefit Jim Johnston, an area man who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
To the Limit Motorsportz hosted a car cruise Saturday, April 25, to benefit Jim Johnston, an area man who is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
