Monday, October 22, 2007

This Is So Tragic ... Some Prayers Please



Army Specialist John Austin Johnson, assigned to the 4/1 Cav out of Ft Bliss was recuperating at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX from a traumatic brain injury sustained during combat operations in Iraq. The Specialist was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, and had survived 4 IED attacks, the 5th one caused these injuries. Do to the injuries, Johnson now speaks with a severe stutter.

On October 13th, Spec Johnson was waiting for his wife and three kids to visit him. That visit never came. Instead he was informed that his wife had rolled the family SUV about half-way between El Paso and San Antonio, and 2-yr old Logan and 5-yr old Ashley were dead. His son Tyler, 9 yrs old, suffered traumatic head injuries and currently remains on life support at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. His wife, Lisa escaped with only minor injuries.

In the midst of this tragedy, once again the American Public has stepped up. An anonymous don0r bought the family five burial plots in the veterans section of Pinecrest Memorial Park in Benton, Ark., where Specialist Johnson's grandfather is buried. Another donor provided grave markers for the two children. American Airlines is providing seven round-trip tickets to the family to go to the funeral, and other groups and his unit are helping with other family expenses.

Please join me and my family in praying for the Johnson family, in the recovery of their oldest boy and for their emotional and spiritual recovery in the face of this tragedy.

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16 comments:

lime said...

tragic just seems so weak a word to apply to what this family has endured....how unspeakably awful. yes, they are in my prayers.

Unknown said...

That is horrible. I'll most definitely be praying for them.

Anonymous said...

yes i will pray for them and you!!

Superstar said...

~whipes tears~
That is the most tragic story i have EVER heard.
I just can't shake it.

That
makes
me
ill
...
~runs to bathroom~
I just had to barf...sick and wrong.
~shakes head~
I will pray.

Keshi said...

this is so very sad! Words r not enough to express my feelings.

My prayers and thoughts r with the entire family! I hope the kid who survived will somehow make it to see his dad again.

God speed!

Keshi.

buffalodick said...

How tragic. No other comment comes to mind...

Tapline said...

Paul, When we think we have it bad, Someone else has it worse. I pray that the family will be given the stength needed to survive this horrific tragedy. stay well....

Jackie said...

Silence...

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God..."

Thank you, Paul, for letting us know.

snowelf said...

Absolutely.

--snow

Paul Champagne said...

lime ... thank you, yes tragic does seem too weak a word ... but I don't know of a better word for the situation.

revolution ... thanks, horrible is a good word for the situation.

niki ... thanks

bambi ... it is wrong, it's one of those times where you wonder, "What was God thinking?", "How could he allow this to happen?"

keshi ... the 9 year old is still in critical condition. His granddad is at the hospital with him today while the rest of the family attends the funeral of his siblings.

buffalo ... don't tell anyone, but when I first heard the story ... I cried. That doesn't come easy from me.

inspired ... I have always heard that God doesn't give us more than he can handle ... How can this family possibly handle this?

snow ... thanks.

Paul Champagne said...

tapline ... I know what you mean. My wife and I were watching the local news together when this story came on. Those were the exact words we said to each other.

We had been complaining about needing new carpeting ... how petty that seemed compared to the story.

Keshi said...

thats so very sad!

Im thinking of them and am sending alot of positive thoughts their way...

Keshi.

Mike Minzes said...

The have my prayers.

Paul Champagne said...

keshi and mike ... thanks, they need all the prayers and positive energy they can get. The mother must feel just awful ... imagine being at the wheel of the car?

Terri@SteelMagnolia said...

Ohhhh God .....

my heart physically hurts......


I will keep them in my prayers.....

I can't imagine the grief.


*very sad face*

Ottavio (Otto) Marasco said...

So terrible.

Very good of you to call for prayers. Pray I will, in addition I will share with family, a heart rendering post. God bless