Somewhere around Georgia 400 North and Northridge Road there is a large pine tree with a large piece of an Audi Quad 4 embedded two feet deep in it.
Monday, March 16, 2009, 2:30 AM, a tow truck drives south on 400 near the Northridge Road exit. The driver, Brad Shane, has been operating his tow truck while earning his pilot’s license. He receives a dispatch from the office to pick up a car that has been engaged in a serious wreck. He sees the wreck on the other side of the highway. Noticing the amount of Police cars, ambulances and fire trucks, he figures that there must be a fatality and goes to Waffle House to wait out the red tape. In a wreck of this nature, the customary police reports can take up to three hours.
Something about the wreck nags at Brad. He decides to drive over to the other side of the highway and investigate. Meanwhile, around the same time, Dallas Johnson, at home, in his bed, can’t sleep. He gets up from his bed and goes to sleep in the living room. As Brad nears the wreck, he notes the destroyed Audi 400. He cringes at the damages and thinks that there is no way that anyone survived the wreck.
Brad is also a retired police officer and knows many other officers around Atlanta. A few of the Sandy Springs Patrolmen begin speaking with Brad about the wreck. Uncharacteristically, Brad asks the Sandy Springs Police about the identity of the driver of the mangled Audi Quad 4. They informed him that the driver was on his way to Grady Hospital in Atlanta, GA and that they did not think that he was going to “make it.” After looking through the wallet found on the victim, One of the Sandy Springs Officers informed Brad that the driver of the car was a Mason from Alpharetta Lodge which also happens to be Brad’s Masonic Lodge. Brad, operating under the worst possible premise as to the final outcome for the driver, felt sick to his stomach.
After ascertaining the identity of the driver, Brad realized that he knew the victim…well. It was Jeremy Johnson whom he had known for at least three years. Brad had the number for Dallas Johnson, Jeremy’s father, in his cell phone. Brad could not bring himself to call Dallas so he called one of Dallas’ best friends, Robert Young.
Obviously shocked and having no idea as to the state of Jeremy Johnson, Robert phoned Dallas from 4AM until 8Am when he finally answered. During the same period, Forsyth County Officers, where Jeremy and his family live, were dispatched to Jeremy’s house to inform anyone that they might find home of the accident. No one was there. While on the way to pick up Robert Young, Dallas and Carolyn (Dallas' wife) phoned Grady Hospital to check on Jeremy's condition. There was no record of Jeremy being admitted. They began thinking the worst. If he wasn't in the hospital, where was he? The morgue? When they got to Robert's house, they found that he had also been on the phone with Grady and somehow discovered where Jeremy was. He was in the ICU, room 7K5.
Miraculously, Jeremy survived. Jeremy had broken his Clavicle, left side of his ribs, and crushed his left arm and femur. He was also unconscious and would be for the next two days. He had been admitted into Grady hospital under a number, as his identity at the time of the wreck was unknown.
Supposing Brad hadn’t been driving the tow truck that night. Imagine if he had not asked questions as to the identity of the driver. Jeremy’s family might have wondered for two or three days as to the whereabouts of their father. Dallas might have put an all points bulletin out for his son. As it turned out, Brad was there and acted in a most brotherly fashion during an incredibly difficult time. He exemplified the behavior that we are legendary for.
Last Tuesday, they brought Jeremy home from the hospital. Gene Lacombe, a friend of Dallas' and a member of Master's Lodge, came to Jeremy's house to assist him in getting Jeremy up the stairs. Jeremy's wife and children were there and his wife had been preparing the children for their father's homecoming. They got Jeremy to the kitchen in his wheel chair still in a lot of pain. He talked to the children telling them he would be okay but that he would be home resting for a long time. They then took Jeremy to the living room where he got onto the large sofa and was talking to the children and everyone else. Gene Lacombe was playing with Jada and talking to her. Jada is five and she told Gene that her Daddy was sick and that she was a nurse.
Gate City II is a Regular Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons working under the jurisdiction of The Grand Lodge of Georgia. Our regular meetings are the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays January – May, September – November, the 2nd Tuesday in June, August and December and the 4th Tuesday in July. We meet at the Atlanta Masonic Center (formerly The Atlanta Masonic Temple) 1690 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309
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