Wounded Iraq veteran, wife lose 3rd child from car crash

Wounded Iraq veteran, wife lose 3rd child from car crash

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/110507dnmetsoldierfamily.2a207dc.html

SUV accident occurred as mother was taking kids to see injured dad

09:07 PM CST on Sunday, November 4, 2007

By HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News


Still grieving over the deaths of two of their children, Army Spc. John Austin Johnson
and his wife this week have to bury a third child. Tyler Johnson, 9, died Saturday at
Children's Medical Center Dallas from injuries he suffered in a crash on Oct. 13.


Army Spc. John Austin Johnson and wife Lisa's children
Ashley, 5, and Logan, 2, died in a car wreck last week.
Tyler, 9, was on life support Saturday.

Tyler, his mother and his siblings were on their way to visit Spc. Johnson, who was
hospitalized in San Antonio with a traumatic brain injury suffered in Iraq. Their sport
utility vehicle crashed on their way from El Paso, flipping at least four times.

Two-year-old Logan and 5-year-old Ashley died at the scene. Tyler, who suffered many
internal injuries, was taken by helicopter to Children's and had been on life support for
most of the past month.

Tyler's will to live surprised even his doctors.

"People would ask me what's going on, and I'd always tell them the doctors weren't sure
he'd make the night," said Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Schmidt, a family spokesman.

Traffic investigators said that although Mrs. Johnson was driving at the speed limit on
Interstate 10 near Ozona, a combination of high speed, drowsiness and powerful winds likely
contributed to the crash.

All the children were in the back seat. Logan was properly restrained in a child seat, but
neither Ashley nor Tyler was wearing a seat belt.

Spc. and Mrs. Johnson have said they are too devastated to talk, but Sgt. Schmidt said they
are coping fairly well given the circumstances.

"I think the good thing is they knew it was coming. For the past three weeks,
an outpouring of support has flooded in from military-support groups, businesses and strangers.

The Professional Golfers' Association heard about the family's story and raised $95,000, which
paid for a new car and other expenses.

American Airlines, which donated plane tickets for family members to travel to Logan and Ashley's funeral
in Arkansas last month, is donating more tickets for Tyler's funeral in Arkansas this week.

Almost everything else – from car rentals and hotel accommodations to food – has been donated.
The future remains uncertain for the Johnsons. Sgt. Schmidt said the couple will take a month off
to rest and decide what to do next. "They've got to get their emotions in check," Sgt. Schmidt said.
"Right now, they've kind of had a mission, so to speak – going to hospital every day, checking on
their son, burying two others. Mrs. Johnson, who was a homemaker, now says she can't stand being
in an empty home, Sgt. Schmidt said.

"She was telling me she's going to have to get a job because she won't be able to be at home alone
when she's normally taking care of them," Sgt. Schmidt said.

Despite his own brush with death in Iraq, Spc. Johnson wants to return to active duty, Sgt. Schmidt said.
But Mrs. Johnson is petrified of losing her husband in addition to all their children.

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