I want to introduce you to some of my newest friends.
I have always left their home amazed and inspired by their faith, family devotion, and spirit despite all their obstacles.
I first learned about the family after a series of news broadcasts such as this Channel 3 News story.
They were kind enough to allow me interview them.
Their full story will soon appear in The Family Digest magazine.
November 2003, a terrible tragedy happened to this family.
Leah Cochran (22 years old), agreed to babysit for her parents, Allan and Andra Quinn, while they took care of some errands.
As Leah helped the older children with homework, Joanna(5) and Johnny(4) decided to play BOXCAR CHILDREN in their shed.
Since the shed had no light, they carried candles with them.
When Joanna ran into the house, screaming that Johnny was trapped in a fire, Leah reacted with the instincts of a devoted sister.
Repeatedly she ran into the burning shed. Each time she was driven out by smoke.
The third time she crawled below the smoke, found Johnny, and dragged him to safety.
The rest of the evening was a blur to the family.
Leah spent the night in a local hospital with burns to her face and hands.
In the year and a half that has passed, Leah has endured surgeries on her hands and still has to undergo therapy to restore their strength.
Johnny's burns were far more severe.
He was rushed to Shriner's Burn Hospital in Galveston, TX. He received 3rd degree burns to over 90% of his body.
In that first year, Johnny had more surgeries than his parents could count.
Even now, Johnny struggles through physical therapy 3 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Proving every day that he is a fighter and is now on his feet and able to run and play with other children.
He spends 2 weeks a month at Shriner's Hospital (for regular skin graphs) and 2 weeks at home with his family.
Johnny is an active child.
He loves strawberry ice cream, building with wooden blocks, creating with play-doh, and watching SpongeBob Cartoons.
His favorite color is plain old green "not the fancy shades", says Johnny.
***********************************Update**************************************
1. Letters For Johnny was written about the heroic story of the Quinn family.
Chapter 2 Preview of Letters For Johnny
2. Recently Leah Cochran was awarded the Richard R. Kirkland Humanitarian Award for her act of bravery in rescuing her brother.
3. Along with his usual skin graphs, Johnny had surgery on his eyes. Scar tissue was removed from his legs and splints were used to correct his walk.
I doubt that will do much to slow down Johnny, though.
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Contributions:
If you would like to help the Quinn family, you can make a check payable to Patriot Bank.
On the memo line write:
Quinn Family Fund.
Mail to:
Patriot Bank
8376 Hwy. 51 N.
Millington TN 38053
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