Junior Firefighter Luke Johnson Receives Multi-Department Escort

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Published on January 7 2013 9:26 am
Last Updated on July 14 2013 12:07 pm
Written by Wayne Moran

Area fire departments showed their continuing support for Luke Johnson and his fight against Leukemia Sunday, as Luke received a multi-department escort on his way to receive a bone-marrow transplant in St. Louis this week.
 
Chief Joe Holomy of the Effingham Fire Department told us that Luke, now a "Junior Firefighter" with the Effingham Fire Department, began his journey Sunday with an escort from his home by the Shumway Fire Department. Shumway turned over the escort to the Effingham Fire Department as Luke and his family got onto Interstate 70 and headed west to St. Louis.
 
The Shumway Fire Department began Luke's escort to St. Louis from his home. Photo courtesy of the Effingham Fire Department.
 
The Altamont Fire Department was next to take Luke through their district, followed by the waiting St. Elmo and Vandalia Departments.
 
Vandalia escorted Luke and his family to the edge of the division border. Beyond that border, departments from Mulberry Grove, Pocahontas and Greenville were positioned on their I-70 ramps, and also had trucks sitting on interstate overpasses to show support for Team Luke.
 
Luke's father, Rick Johnson, expressed his thanks to area departments for the show of support with a post on Facebook reading, "A special thanks to all of those incredible firefighters, heroes, who once again brought a smile to Luke's face and his heart. It was such a wonderful escort! God bless all of you! He is so energized and ready for this fight! I have never seen him like this before. I can't explain it. He is so alive and ready to take this on. His spirit is so alive and powerful!"
 
Luke Johnson and his family are escorted out of Effingham by the Effingham Fire Department. Photo courtesy of the Effingham Fire Department.
 
Chief Holomy also took to the fire department's Facebook page earlier in the day, saying "Over the past several months, many area departments within our MABAS Division (54) have participated in area events to help Luke as he fights his battle. Like EFD, these departments have been touched by this little boy in a special way that words cannot describe. We wish him a very successful recovery and look to see his great smile in our Stations in about 3 months."
 
Luke will spend this week prepping for his bone-marrow transplant, which is scheduled to take place on January 12th. More information on Luke and his battle against Leukemia can be found here.