One of the most unique individuals I have ever had to take care of has been nothing short of a medical miracle in my eyes. He may only be a preteen, but he has had to go through more experiences medically than do most people in their lifetime. He wasn't expected to see the age of five due to a catastrophic neuromuscular disorder that has robbed the strength from his muscles and the ability to walk; he is now nearing the age of thirteen, and he still continues to defy the medical odds even now.

Johnathon Irwin-Allen Denver Sandusky suffers from Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (he is now in an electric wheelchair) and has lost several important daily care skills, yet his family and friends do not complain as they care for him and his needs. They love him with all their heart and soul, and they know that any time that he is alive is indeed precious time, and they cherish every moment with him and refuse to think of the inevitalbe., even though they do know that time is of the essence for him. He has lived far longer than doctors predicted he would, and he still continues to enjoy life to its very fullest.

But Johnny has other health issues that have caused us to go to his house to provide medical care. He has seizures and has had such severe ones he has actually stopped breathing to the point to where we would have to revive him, and he has also suffered from several heart attacks and even a stroke or two; but he is still one of the brightest, happiest, most determined little fellows you would ever want to meet. His happy nature is unending, and even though he IS shy at first, it doesn't take long for him to warm up to a person once he gets used to them. He has been pulled back from the brink of death more than we'd really like to admit, but it just shows just how strong his spirit really is, and whenever we get him to the hospital so the doctors can take over, we are always left shaking our heads in wonder and amazement. There have been times when he was actually dead--no pulse or respiration, and no response to pain whatsoever--, but by the time we get him to the hospital, he somehow comes back, and when he coughs or gasps for breath, it is the sweetest sound we can hear. We then say a quick prayer as we unload him from the rear of the ambulance, and we hope that the doctors and nurses in the emergency department can stabilize him further (this is usually the case).

Johnny is like his sister, Ronee', in so many ways: both have that fighter's spirit, and they don't know the meaning of the word quit, and they also have fought back from death's door with the courage of a lion. I am always amazed whenever I see Johnny with his family or out in public because I remember seeing him, not breathing, and his color poor in nature, and I know that he wasn't expected to survive; but that kid must have angels watching out for him because he is still kickin', and he has continued to beat every odd placed upon him by doctors who yet don't know of his courageous spirit. They don't know what they are getting into when they first meet a kid like Johnny, but in the end, they soon are forever changed by his will to live.

I wish more people could meet Johnny or hear of his story; it is a story full of high drama, tension, even laughter and fun in the midst of such physical pain and uncertainty. He has given us the gift of bravery inside a broken body, and he has taught us about compassion, hope, and faith. He has taught us to look into his world, a world full of doctors' appointments, medication, hospital stays, and the occasional ambulance ride; but it is a world that he has lived with all his life, and he still sees the good in what life has to offer. He could very well be morose or complaining about his lot in life, but Johnny is not a complainer. He is a doer and a conqueror, and he will continue to amaze us each and every time we happen to cross paths. I do hope you get to know him because once you DO meet Johnny Sandusky in person, you will be forever changed in ways that were once thought impossible.

~Written by Kendall V. Smith, Paramedic/EMT, Nashville, Tennessee.