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Lexi Johnson: Perserverance in action
Editor's note: The Nevada Daily Mail is conducting a series of monthly stories about local people who embody the Vernon County Youth Task Force Word of the Month. This month's word is "perseverance." Read on to learn how Lexi Johnson has persevered, and how to nominate a local person who emulate a future Word of the Month.
Lexi Johnson was a freshman at the Nevada High School in the fall of 2007 and just getting started in what has turned out to be a stellar, high school athletic career when a torn rotator cuff sidelined her. A serious injury in and of itself, the rotator cuff, was almost forgotten when on Oct. 13, 2007 Johnson was seriously injured in an automobile accident near Lamar, Mo.
The way that Johnson worked and persevered to overcome the serious physical injuries and emotional trauma of that accident has led to her being chosen as the first person in Vernon County to be recognized for emulating the Word of the Month. For April, that word is "perseverance."
The Word of the Month Program, implemented in 2010 by the Nevada R-5 Schools and the Vernon County Youth Task Force as part of the Graduation Matters Campaign, is a community-wide effort to reinforce education and graduation from high school through a campaign that focuses on words representing values that instill positive traits and ambitions into the youth of the county. Even though it has been more than three years since the accident, Lexi's mother, Natalie, remembered that "it was very scary." Lexi had both legs broken. She suffered a compound fracture of the left femur and her left tibia was broken, her right tibia was also broken. Her left knee joint was broken and the tendons seriously damaged. She also broke her right collar bone.
After four days in the hospital, Lexi went home and began the grueling work of physical therapy. Doctors told her mother that she would be able to walk, but that she would probably not be able to run well or play sports again. Lexi said "the thought of never being able to play sports again was the worst part" of the ordeal.
Lexi gritted her teeth and went to work. "God gave her a determined spirit," said her mother. Lexi used that spirit to get through the therapy that was so tough that the therapist sometimes had to force her leg to bend in order to keep it flexible. Lexi described the pain of the therapy as "excruciating." But she kept at it. And she kept up her studies. Lexi's mother is a teacher in the R-5 district and she had to take a leave of absence to care for her daughter. She schooled her at home with assignments from her teachers at the school.
Lexi said the physical injuries were hard to overcome, "but the emotional was tough too! I lost a lot of confidence," she said.
She also had a lot of support. "A lot of prayers were answered," she said. As she slowly improved, she realized that her family and friends and coaches were there to help. They urged me to "keep pushing, they helped keep me positive," she said.
Lexi spent four months on crutches, but she eventually began to motivate without them. Her toes pointed in when she walked her mother said. But she kept at it. She's been determined her mother said, "anything she'd put her mind to she'd do," Natalie said. Time went by and the perseverance of the girl and the resiliency of the human body finally saw Lexi back in the lineup of the Nevada Lady Tigers basketball and softball teams.
Now, Lexi is an 18-year-old senior and despite the fact that her "bones get achy" and her left knee still gives her problems, she has shown what spirit and perseverance can do. Lexi was selected as one two of the Lady Tiger Classic basketball tournament All-Tournament players in February. Johnson also played on the Lady Tigers State Champion Softball team. And just this past weekend she was in Joplin to play in the inaugural KODE/KSN Southwest Missouri All-star Basketball Games. Lexi was one of 20 outstanding players from the area to play and scored 11 points during the game.
Lexi was nominated for recognition by high school counselor Patty Murray. She says that there is an even more important side to Lexi's character. "I have never seen Lexi without a smile on her face" Murray wrote on the nomination form. "She helps out in the special needs classrooms and works with students on an individual basis." Murray also said that Johnson treats everyone with respect and is positive and friendly and has a heart for everyone. "Lexi is a great example of perseverance and kindness."
A new word and individual will be chosen for the next month and anyone in Vernon County can nominate a person they think emulates that word.
The guidelines are that the candidate must reside in Vernon County and the individual may be of any age. Those wishing to nominate someone should complete a nomination form by writing why they believe the nominee is a good role model and use specific examples of how the person exhibits the character word of the month. From these nominations, citizens living in different areas of Vernon County will choose one of the applicants.
Self-discipline is the word of the month for May and nomination forms for the month of May and each month thereafter must be returned by the 15th of the preceding month. More information on the Word of the Month and nomination forms can be obtained online at http://vernoncounty.hpage.com/. Forms will soon be available on the VCYTF Facebook page and at area businesses. Mail or drop off completed forms at 300 West Cherry Street, Nevada, MO 64772. Forms also can be obtained or turned in by contacting Michelle Lockard at the Division of Social Services at mlockard128@hotmail.com.