Background

John Dinewood was born February 14th, 1964 in Paradise Hill. He is the current Paradise Park director with over twenty years of experience. In 2000, his life would change unexpectedly when during a mental health crisis he accidentally made a wish to be happier, which was heard by a passing Wishgranter.

Before Summer

John Dinwood was born February 14th, 1964 in Paradise Hill to Willow Dinewood and Dick Dinewood.

Willow Nyman (1932) was born in Colombus, Ohio and would move when she was ten years old. While attending Westlend High School, Willow would meet Theodore Edwards (1932-1985), Robert Maroon (1932), and Dick Dinewood (1932-????). The group would grow closer, and in 1954, Willow and Dick would be married. In 1964, they would have John Lewis Dinewood. After the birth of their son, Dick would develop issues with alcoholism leading to physical abuse directed toward both Willow and John. In 1972, Dick would storm out of the house and never come back. Theodore and Maroon would step in as both to help Willow and John return to normalicy.

However, as a result of the abuse, John developed depression and agression leading to a difficulty in forming long term relationships. This would lead to isolation by his peers. When he was thirteen, he would meet Toni Collins (1964), a new student who had faced severe bullying, while sneaking out during lunch to smoke. The two would develop a close friendship that would continue into their college years.

At sixteen, Robert Maroon would offer John a job at Paradise Park as a groundskeeper to distract from his worsening mental health. Inside the park was the house that had been built by Maroon's grandfather in 1862 using private land he had owned. After the Organic Act of 1916, the land was turned into a park. The house was passed onto Maroon's father, George Maroon (1887-1971) for his family to live in. He gave the house to his eldest son, Robert, who raised his family there.

In 1981, John's mental health reached it's lowest resulting in him attempting to end his own life. He was found by his mother and rushed to the hospital where he was luckily resuscitated. He was sent to a psychward for two months and was diagnosed with Manic Depression and Anorexia Nervosa. He would be released and would return to finish out high school. With the support of his mother, Maroon, and Theodore, he would go to Valley View University to get a bachelor's degree in enviormental sciences.

Theodore Edwards was the owner of The Parlour, a popular diner in town. After John's suicide attempt, he would double his attempts at being a good father figure for John by taking him fishing (despite John's allergy to fish), taking him to baseball games, or having him come by The Parlour. However, John would push him away afraid of disappointing him. Unknown to John, Theodore was a homosexual man who would develop AIDS in 1985. Distraught by the lack of medical treatment he recieved and how The Parlour had become a public disgrace, Theodore would kill himself. Feeling guilty for never responding to Theodore's attempts to help him, John saw a second major decline in his mental health resulting in a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis due to reoccurring nightmares of the event. Maroon and Willow decided that it would be best for John to move into the park house, because caring for it would keep him distracted. John was promoted to director as a result.

After John took over the park, he began to isolate himself once up. Leading to him losing all contact with Toni. From 1985 to 1997, the cast of works at the park would continuously change since it was common for the park to be a short term job. In 1991, Pat Walker (1966) would begin working at the park as a handyman. In 1997, Rick Smith (1977) would begin working as a groundskeeper. In 1998, James Thomas (1977) would take a job as a groundskeeper. These men would remain constant figures at the park. John would struggle to develop friendship with these men often not understanding the difference in generations between him and James and Rick.

In the late 90s, John would see another major decline leading up to February of 2000. On his 36th birthday, John Dinewood would once again attempt to take his own life. He would take a hunting gun leftover from when Maroon owned the house, only living due to the gun sticking.In anger, John would curse out that he wished he could be happier. Suddenly afterward, he would be met with Summer Black (1964).

After Summer Black

After meeting Summer Black, John was initially distrustful. He knew about wishgranters due to his mother telling him stories when he was younger, but he promptly believed they were only fantasical because they never responded to his wishes before. Summer explains that while she is sorry that no one came to help him, wishgranters only respond to wishes when a person truly needs it. Eventually he gives in believeing that his wish will easily be granted. However, this proves to be harder than either one believed.

Relationships

John began dating Abigial Carter (1964-1988) in 1980. Their relationship would end three months later when Abigial cheated on him. They lost contact when John went to college, the last he heard, she died in a car accident after moving to Washington D.C.

In 1991, Darlene Richards would move to Paradise Hill to begin working on her music career. The two would meet when she began working at the Retro Peacock. They dated for two years before splitting up due to John believing that Darlene deserved someone that could successfully support her. Darlene would later go on to have a successful country music career with one of her top songs being a love letter to him, Johnny, Don't Leave A Woman Behind. John likes to pretend this song never exists, much to Rick's amusement.

In 1986, John would begin a controversial six month relationship with Ruth Flores (1939), a retired beauty queen, who also happened to be Rick's mother. At the time, Rick was only nine years old and would visit the park often with his mother. The two would break things off when Willow begged John to reconsider his relationship with her due their signifcant age difference. While neither John or Rick mention his past relationship, it is known that Rick still considers John the best dad he ever had.