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Locked on 10/22/2007 10:35:25 AM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
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Posted on 10/22/2007 9:16:22 AM PDT by TheMom
DALLAS — Two children of a Fort Bliss soldier flown back from Iraq with combat injuries are dead and a third is on life support after a car accident on the way to visit their father in the hospital, Army officials said.
Army Spc. John Austin Johnson was waiting for his wife and three kids to visit him at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio Oct. 13 when another soldier told him his family's car had rolled over four times on Interstate 10 about 12 miles east of Ozona on the gusty West Texas plains.
"He said, 'Two of my children are dead?'" Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Schmidt told the Dallas Morning News. "And we started crying."
Schmidt said Johnson's wife, Lisa, overcorrected the steering in her sport utility vehicle after encountering a blast of wind on the drive from El Paso. The couple's youngest children, 2-year-old Logan and 5-year-old Ashley, died at the scene.
Tyler Johnson, 9, suffered massive head injuries and remains on life support at Children's Medical Center in Dallas.
"He's a fighter. Even the doctors are amazed he's still alive," said Schmidt, who says the family is too grief-stricken to speak publicly. "We're praying."
Tyler remained at the hospital Saturday while their parents left for their children's visitation in Benton, Ark., the family's hometown. An anonymous donor provided five burial plots in the veteran's section of Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander, Ark., where Spc. Johnson's grandfather is buried.
Another donor purchased markers for Logan and Ashley, whose funeral is set for Tuesday in Alexander. American Airlines provided the family seven roundtrip tickets, and other groups are helping the family take care of expenses.
"It's been a pleasure and an honor to help them," said Rehnda White-Brunner, director of United Services Organizations of Dallas/Fort Worth.
Schmidt said Johnson has survived five brushes with improvised explosive device blasts during two years in Iraq. The latest left him with a traumatic brain injury, and he speaks with a severe stutter.
"They're really overwhelmed with gratitude from everybody," Schmidt said. "They're very humble people. Everyone's coming together."
Pay no attention to the Self Appointed Post Police (SAPPs).
What a horrible tragedy. My prayers are with the children and their family.
WHY is it that some people feel the need to let us know how many times an article has been posted? Perhaps YOU stay on FR 24/7 and censor every article that pops up. However, many of us click on a few minutes a day to check what’s going on. I for one am glad of multiple postings as I may miss the others. Relax, and don’t let this kind of stuff worry you - life’s too short.
That being said, sad, horrible news for the poor family. My heart goes out to all of them.
Prayer going out.
How devastating. There are no words. Prayers up.
I heard that. Getting to feel that way more & more myself.
I believe its the Mods who ask that a title be searched prior to posting. I'm sure that on the fourth time around, breaking news is the right place for it.
This is sure to be on Paul Harvey’s program. He can’t wait to ruin people’s days with stories like this one.
I have no words. Surely there is a reward up there for this family. And I haven’t seen this before.
Carolyn
Hey, just report the post and let the admin/moderators decide. No need to appoint yourself...we’ve enough to handle the job.
Prayers for Spc. Johnson’s family. This just breaks my heart.
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