November 19, 2014
^orttani) (Observer
IN S ID E
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Free Clinic
H ealth
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O
pinion
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*••• ♦
A cell phone picture shows Kevin Johnson, 29, recovering from a stab wound to the heart at Oregon
Health and Sciences University.
Terror on a Portland Street
M
Veteran helps
woman and nearly
loses his life
etro
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O livia O livia
T he P ortland O bserver
by
A Portland veteran needs help
with devastating medical bills but is
thankful to be alive after being
stabbed in the heart when he came
to the aid of a female in distress on
a southeast Portland street.
Kevin Johnson, 29, said he was
walking home with a female friend
from a night out on Halloween near
92nd and Clinton when they saw a
terrorized woman in a parked car
under assault by her male compan
ion.
When Johnson and his friend
stopped to ensure the safety of the
woman in question, things took a
turn for the worse.
Johnson said he moved to take a
picture of the vehicle’s license plate
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C alendar
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C lassifieds
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R eligion
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F o o d
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Kevin Johnson on duty in 2 0 0 9
as a gunner for the U.S. Armed
Forces in Iraq.
with his phone as a way to inform
authorities. That's when the man in
the car first jum ped out and struck
Johnson's friend with a punch - a
blow that he says knocked her out.
When Johnson attempted to pro
tect his friend, he says the agitated
man attacked him instead - with a
knife.
Johnson was stabbed in the heart,
but managed to run away for three
blocks before calling 911 and col
lapsing. He was taken to OHSU after
experiencing significant blood loss
and says "I prayed for my life, I
begged God to let me live."
Johnson is left with mounting
medical bills from his attack, for
which he's started a crowdsource
funding project on Go Fund Me.
You can donate to his case by vis
itin g
g o fu n d m e .c o m /
kevinsmiraclefund. Johnson is cur
rently attempting to raise $ 100,000,
the costs o f his medical bills.
Meanwhile, the accused attacker,
Lamon Hayes Jr. was arrested and
charged with attempted murder.
Johnson is giving thanks to Port
land Police Detective Steve Forland
and other members of the police
bureau as well at the staff at OHSU,
in particular the trauma team.
"Without them I would not be
here,” he said. “It’s so great to be
able to express my gratitude.”
Elected Portland NAACP President
Members of the Portland branch of the NAACP have elected
long time Portland activist and former state representative Jo Ann
Hardesty as its president.
•
Hardesty has been a strong voice for police accountability
through her leadership on the Albina Ministerial Alliance Coali
tion for Justice and Police Reform.
In other voting from the civil rights group’s November election,
announced by NAACP member Odessa Hendrix, James Posey
was elected as first vice-president, followed by Debra Lindsay as
second vice president and Cynthia Harris as third vice-president.
Other positions filled were Deborah Hall as secretary, Jeanine
Clair as assistant secretary and Jereme Hampton as assistant
treasurer.
Jo Ann Hardesty