Help turn the tide for Eric

Help Turn the Tide for Veteran Eric Eric Johnson was born to serve others and he answered that calling from the time he was 13 years old. As a teen living on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Eric volunteered to support drug use prevention efforts in his community. While pursuing his undergraduate degree at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and then pursuing his Master’s degree in College Station Texas, Eric transferred the effective community-based drug prevention strategies he learned as a teen to his college environment. All of his spare time was devoted to leading the “Haunted Crack House” effort. He married during college, then chose to serve his country by joining the U.S. Air Force. While deployed in the Middle East, Eric suffered a traumatic brain injury and left Afghanistan with a war-related lung condition and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Despite these challenges, Eric worked as a hospital administrator in Pennsylvania while raising three children. After two of his children became adolescents, he decided to return to the rural small town life of the Eastern Shore. He was hired immediately in the local Emergency Planning Office, where he could apply his advanced education and vast military experience to serving Queen Anne’s County citizens. Just before settling in, Eric learned he had a heredity condition called Porphyria, a blood disorder resulting from build up of certain chemicals related to red blood cell proteins. To compound matters, within a few recent years, Eric lost two siblings to the effects of opioid use disorder. Despite struggling with his own lingering health issues, in 2019 Eric devoted every available moment of his free time to coordinating 200+ volunteers in presenting the “Haunted Trap House,” a community-based substance use education program presented through scripted vignettes during the Halloween season. The event was a great success, but took its toll on Eric’s health. He fell seriously ill early in 2020 and has endured seizures, multiple hospital stays, diagnostic tests, and moments of despair while trying to fight his way back to being a viable and contributing member of his family, his office, and his community. Please help turn the tide for Eric by contributing to this Go Fund Me Campaign. A mounting flood of unfortunate circumstances has overwhelmed Eric and his family in the past few years. Eric has given every ounce of his heart and soul to his community and country. Today he often misses work and his wife is unable to work due to the constant responsibility of transporting Eric to healthcare appointments. His family has amassed significant medical debt and Eric will need to seek legal support to effectively apply for disability as it is unlikely he will be able to maintain a normal work schedule in the future. “Friends of Eric Johnson,” as a collective of grateful neighbors and loved ones, is pleading with the community to rally around him and his family. It should be noted that Eric was not involved in facilitating this Fund, but expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the intention of his supporters. Note: This narrative was written by Linda Roy Walls, a family friend. Update for 2021: Eric is on long term disability he can no longer work at all. Jamie is about to go to school to receive her CNA. She has been a stay at home mom for 20 years but now feels it is necessary to get a career so she can help support the family. Eric has become more and more familiar with the wheelchair that was given to us by community members. Unfortunately he gets out of breath very easily and has very little energy throughout the day. He’s still getting around a little,but the family is worried about the future. They would like to spend this money to build a ramp on their house and get a lift out on their car for an electric wheelchair. They are very overwhelmed by all the community support they have gotten and continue to get. The are grateful for the prayers and love.