A little boy with a progressive neuromuscular disorder lives life to the very fullest.
This was a story I wanted to do earlier on, but never did. So I am posting it now. Hope you like it!
Johnny is a kid who has given the term "courage" a whole new meaning. He has certainly had to be braver than most kids his age, and he has had to overcome much in his young life.
Johnny Sandusky is 11 years old, and he has Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, which was diagnosed when he was only a year old, at about the time he was learning how to walk. It has steadily gotten worse, and he has had to use a wheelchair since the age of three. He also walks for shorter distances on crutches, but he mainly uses the wheelchair because walking makes him tired, and he doesn't want to become weaker than he already is. Srenuous physical activity such as walking on crutches has proven to be difficult for him, so he opts to use his wheelchair. In addition, Johnny also has breathing problems, which is a sign that his disease is growing worse; and he has to use oxygen from time to time because he gets out of breath so easily.
Johnny also has other health problems besides his muscular dystrophy: he has epilepsy and often has seizures; but medication controls most of the seizures. He also has learning problems, and for years, he struggled in school (he barely made passing grades; he often got D's and F's; for him, a C was good), but then he got extra help, and when he was once bringing home C's, D's, and F's on his report cards, he is now bringing home A's and B's, much to the delight of his family (and especially his parents).
Still, despite all his daily struggles stemming from his muscular dystrophy and epilepsy, Johnny is still a happy kid (a bit on the shy side, perhaps) with a happy personality about him; and he loves to do things like play Little League in the summer (he is on a team for disabled kids), read, write, go to concerts and meet his favorite singers, swim, go to camp every year (he goes to an MDA-sponsored camp every August for a week), travel, and especially play with his toy cars or his video games, which is probably his all time favorite activity. He is very good at video games, and he has proven to be a tough act to beat whenever other kids challenge him to a game. In addition, Johnny also loves spending time on his computer.
Another thing that Johnny likes to do is sing or play his keyboards. He has a good voice, and he has sung on stage before, but he isn't as involved in singing as is his one sister, Ronee'. Still, he does enjoy it once in a while.
Johnny has many friends, especially since he started attending Morningside Academy, a school for kids with severe multiple disabilities; and he is happier now than he ever has been in a long time. Johnny is especially close to Jose' Varquez, who has been with him since he was still at his old school, Eastview Elementary; and the two boys have remained close and constant companions ever since. He is also very close to his family, especially to his mother and to his sister, Ronee' Le-Anne, who has been his constant source of support and strength (and also the bane of his existance at times because of her being so smart; and he is jealous of her ability to learn so fast and so easily while he has to struggle at times with his schoolwork).
Johnny also has his faith in Jesus Christ to get him through the "rough spots" in his life; and people seem to think that this is why he has continued to beat the odds time after time. Johnny also enjoys going to his church, Christ Community Assembly of God, every week, where he is involved in the children's choir, The King's Kids, and also with Promise!, a children's ministry at his church. He absolutely loves his church, and he has many friends there; and it is one of the biggest highlights of his week.
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Reviewed by Simon Thurlow
6/7/2004
The 'unstoppable' part must surely come from your zest for writing such inspirational stories as these Karen.
Johnny is a kid who has given the term "courage" a whole new meaning. He has certainly had to be braver than most kids his age, and he has had to overcome much in his young life.
