The Broncos’
VOICE
FSU ARCHIVES
August 1994
Volume IV Issue # 1
Ot Uncommon
Valor:
A Hero Named
Micah Johnson
By Roger A. Harris
As we talked I was truly
surprised by Micah
Johnson's humble
responses to my
searching questions.
After all, it had been
a week and five days
since that warm and
balmy August 3, 1994-
more than enough time to
reflect on a date and
event that forever
changed his life. You
see, on that date and
in that captioned frame
we call time, Micah
Johnson didn't just save
a iife--he brought a
life back from the dead.
THE INCIDENT
Micah Johnson's
handsome, chiseled frame
solemnly perched on
lookout atop the
lifeguard stand at the
Fort Bragg officer's
pool taking quiet
measure of the surreal
scene before him. Ten
year's experience had
taught him not to be
deceived by the hypnotic
trance that happy faces,
beautiful weather, and
soothing water could
have on the senses.
Suddenly, a piercing.
shrill cry for help
screamed from the wading
area, shattering the
calm of what had
otherwise been just
another day at the pool .
An 18 month old child.
Baby Jonathan, had sank
to the bottom of the
wading pool and when
retrieved, was not
breathing; a happening
that marked the moment,
point, and instant from
which all involved would
be forever changed.
Adrenaline surged as
Micah leapt, panther
like, from his lookout
tower, seemingly
vaulting a six foot
barrier fence in one
bound; covering a cool
50 yards in seconds to
finally arrive by Baby
Jonathan's side to
render aid. A quick
check revealed no pulse:
Baby Jonathan was dead.
Reflex, training, and
urgency commanded the
blur of activity that
encapsulated the next
ten minutes. Micah
immediately began to
administer CPR. One
minute passed, three
minutes, then five.
Still no response, still
no pulse. Still, Micah
kept on. He later
reflected that no one
had ever helped him in
life so that he
developed a very strong
will that never allowed
him to give up, never
relinquish, never quit.
This instance was no
different; he wanted
Baby Jonathan to live.
Seven minutes, nine
minutes! Then, after ten
minutes, there was a
cough, a gurgle, a spit,
then the glorious cry;
not of a life saved, but
continued on pg. 12
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