Because of Siskin, I can walk again.

Johnny, who served as a minister for over 45 years, had a life theme: "Everybody is special in God's sight." He and his wife of 55 years, Mary Elizabeth, lived their lives to exemplify this kind of love. Today, August 18th, is Johnny's birthday. A year ago, on his birthday, he found himself undergoing surgery to correct an aortic aneurysm. Unfortunately, complications arose, and Johnny ended up spending the next 35 days in an ICU room at a hospital in Atlanta.

There were days when Mary Elizabeth did not believe her husband would survive. As a former elementary school teacher, she diligently kept a journal documenting every single moment of his days in the hospital. Johnny said he is unable to read it because it is too much to bear, knowing what she went through without him being fully present.

After more than three months since his initial surgery, the difficult decision was made to amputate his legs. After the surgery at Erlanger, he was sent to inpatient care at Siskin Hospital. Even though they lived in North Georgia, Siskin Hospital was their top choice, and it remains so today. Johnny's infectious laugh calls it, "tough love" saying that they not only challenge you but also do so in a compassionate way.

Johnny knew that he wanted to walk again by his birthday, which is today - exactly one year to the day that his life changed forever. He received his prosthetic legs in May and began outpatient therapy at Siskin Hospital in June. Despite their home being hours away in North Georgia, they made the decision to rent an apartment so that he could receive the care he knew that he needed to regain his ability to walk. And the only place for him was Siskin Hospital.

Yesterday, Johnny took his first real steps in the Siskin Hospital outpatient gym, with his physical therapist, Vickie, by his side, cheering him on. As he spoke about his journey over the past year, Johnny teared up several times. Walking again is a victory, but tears came quickly when he shared a story about his 12-year-old grandson. At the beginning of the school year, the grandson wrote a paper on the "Person of the Year," and he chose his own grandfather as the subject.

Johnny's theme of "Everybody is special in God's sight" has become a cherished legacy of love, particularly within the hearts of his family. Being honored as "Person of the Year" by his grandson makes all the pain worthwhile. It's worth all the tears and every challenging step Johnny has taken to celebrate his birthday today. Happy birthday, Johnny!!