Please help the Johnson family (Wizbang)

I just came across a story today on Michelle Malkin's blog about an Iraq war veteran.

John Austin Johnson survived five IED attacks, but the sixth one left him with brain damage. When he came home, he expected to see his wife and three children -- only to find out two of his children had died in a car accident and the third was on life support.

Army Spc. John Austin Johnson seemed to have a gift for evading tragedy.

During two years in Iraq, the soldier from Fort Bliss, in West Texas, survived five improvised explosive device blasts and several grenade attacks.

"A lot of people go through one IED and don't survive," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Schmidt.

But Spc. Johnson's luck began to turn with the last IED blast, which left him with a traumatic brain injury. Back in Texas for care at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, he was eagerly awaiting a visit by his wife and three children last weekend.

But the children never arrived.

"I went up to his room and told him there was a problem," said Sgt. Schmidt, an Army medic who has grown close to the family over the last week. "I told him there was an accident and two of his children were deceased.

"He said, 'Two of my children are dead?' And we started crying."

Driving across the plains from El Paso, Spc. Johnson's wife, Lisa, had encountered a ferocious wind gust in her Chevrolet Trailblazer, Sgt. Schmidt said. "She steered and overcorrected, and the car rolled over four times."

The youngest children, 2-year-old Logan and 5-year-old Ashley, died at the scene. Nine-year-old Tyler suffered massive head injuries and was flown to Children's Medical Center Dallas, where he remained on life support Saturday.

Mrs. Johnson suffered bruises but was released from a hospital to join her husband in Dallas. They have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House to be near Tyler.

Though the family was too grief-stricken to talk publicly, Sgt. Schmidt said he was impressed by how they are handling the situation.

"I think they're very strong, and they have a strong religious faith, and that's what pulling them through it," he said.

You can donate to help cover family expenses at any Bank of America -- just ask to make a deposit to the John A. and Monalisa Johnson Fund. If you have accounts at Bank of America, you can make a quick deposit while you do your regular banking. It's completely hassle-free. And if you don't bank at Bank of America, then all the same -- it'll take five minutes, at most, to stop in and deposit twenty dollars to help this family.

Just take a minute and put yourselves in this family's position. I know firsthand how expensive medical bills can be. If you can help this family at all, please do. Even five dollars can make a difference.

Comments (17)

Only if you had any</... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by HughS | October 22, 2007 1:09 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

HughS:

Only if you had any class, jp2...speaking of which, where is the new comment moderator? Clean up on #1.

Posted on October 22, 2007 13:09

They're military people jp2... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Jo | October 22, 2007 1:17 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

Jo:

They're military people jp2 - they're good people. That father has done more for this country than you'll do in your lifetime.

The kind of people your team hates.
But thanks for trying to play the game. You lose.

Posted on October 22, 2007 13:17

I guess this site doesn't a... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by jp2 | October 22, 2007 1:38 PM | Score: -8 (8 votes cast)

jp2:

I guess this site doesn't appreciate the irony that Malkin questioned a 12 year old with brain damage not two weeks ago...

Posted on October 22, 2007 13:38

Deeply tragic. Many familie... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Paul Hooson | October 22, 2007 1:48 PM | Score: -2 (4 votes cast)

Paul Hooson:

Deeply tragic. Many families could use prayer it seems. Beautiful Actress Hunter Tylo lost a son to a drowing incident a few days ago and had a serious health crisis with cancer with an infant daughter as well. And she's a prayerful woman. Dark clouds descend on many more homes than most realize.

Posted on October 22, 2007 13:48

OK, kids, lets play nice. ... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Cassy | October 22, 2007 1:49 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Cassy:

OK, kids, lets play nice. I've already deleted two comments. We can debate without insulting each other, right? :)

Posted on October 22, 2007 13:49

jp2, Malkin questioned the ... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by James | October 22, 2007 2:45 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

James:

jp2, Malkin questioned the Democrats who paraded a family worth half a mil as the ideal family who needed gov't healthcare.

Posted on October 22, 2007 14:45

would you like a little che... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by tj | October 22, 2007 2:54 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

tj:

would you like a little cheese with that whine jp2 ?

Posted on October 22, 2007 14:54

I suppose yur one of the ,I... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by tj | October 22, 2007 2:55 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

I suppose yur one of the ,I support the troops, people?

Posted on October 22, 2007 14:55

No Bank of America near her... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by UncleZeb | October 22, 2007 2:55 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

UncleZeb:

No Bank of America near here is there any other way to help?

My name is Yohn Yohnson,<br... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by kim | October 22, 2007 2:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

kim:

My name is Yohn Yohnson,
I come from the Front, Mon,
It was more than a bit dusted up.
But nothing as bad,
For this poor old Dad,
As the end of the loneliest roundup.
======================================

Posted on October 22, 2007 14:59

"Malkin questioned a 12 yea... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Mike | October 22, 2007 3:04 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Mike:

"Malkin questioned a 12 year old with brain damage not two weeks ago"

Funny, I read Michelle's blog every day but somehow I must have missed that riveting interview. jp2, please do provide a link.

Posted on October 22, 2007 15:04

And I think Jo is right, to... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Mike | October 22, 2007 3:08 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

And I think Jo is right, too. By your side's own standards, jp2, unless you've survived 6 IED attacks you have no business dropping your idiotic comments here.

Posted on October 22, 2007 15:08

Malkin questioned a 12 year... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by Jo | October 22, 2007 3:18 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Malkin questioned a 12 year old?? Really?? I'm with Mike, do provide us with that link. What did Malkin ask him? Please, we're waiting.

jpe, your type lies, and then you lie some more. It's just what you and your ilk do.

Posted on October 22, 2007 15:18

Bah. Michelle interviewed a... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by The Listkeeper | October 22, 2007 3:39 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

The Listkeeper:

Bah. Michelle interviewed a 12 year old with brain damage? That's nothing. This site gave brain damaged 12 year olds an entire forum and called it Wizbang Blue! Top THAT, Michelle!

Posted on October 22, 2007 15:39

Some of the lefties on this... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by kim | October 23, 2007 6:53 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Some of the lefties on this site have gone around the bend with the way the Frosts flopped. It must have been a real disappointment at headquarters. It was a three on one break, and Bush still stole the ball.
=========================================

Posted on October 23, 2007 06:53

I went to Bank of America t... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Linda | October 23, 2007 7:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Linda:

I went to Bank of America today to do just this and they didn't know what I was talking about nor did they bother to even go the extra mile and check into it.

I have now contacted the USO Headquarters in Dallas and they are trying to help me to donate.

Posted on October 23, 2007 19:35

Why do no articles online m... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by curious | October 24, 2007 2:22 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

curious:

Why do no articles online mention if the mother had the children safely buckled in? And if she didn't why is she not charged with negligence?

Posted on October 24, 2007 14:22