By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
A Priceville teen is among 50 other exceptional children from across the U.S. who are sharing their amazing stories through the Children’s Miracle Network’s “Champions Across America.”
Danielle Johnson, 14, and a freshman at Priceville High School, will share her story in Washington, D.C. as Alabama’s representative to the Champions Across American Program. The program brings together inspirational children to share their stories of struggle and survival.
For Danielle, the story began just days after her 13th birthday when she was celebrating Memorial Day weekend with her dad on Smith Lake when a personal watercraft accident severely damaged her left foot. A neighbor was able to stop the bleeding so that Danielle could be transported by rescue boat, ambulance and helicopter to Children’s Hospital. There, Dr. Scott Doyle attempted to reattach the foot, but despite his surgical efforts and 77 hours of circulation therapy in the intensive care unit, Danielle’s foot had to be amputated.
Such a traumatic event could have been life-changing for the teenager, but Danielle refused to let the injury interfere with the plans she’d made for herself. By Labor Day she had been fitted with a prosthesis and was riding a bike. Today, less than two years after the accident, Danielle is a junior varsity cheerleader and is training for a 10K race. She has even learned to water ski. Her mom credits Children’s Hospital with doing everything possible to save Danielle’s foot and then everything possible to help her thrive without it.
Following their trip to the nation’s capital, the CMN Champions Across America will visit Disney World in Orlando, thanks to the support of CO-OP Financial Services.