Jermaine Johns, a senior at Columbus High School in the Bronx, is a starting guard for his varsity basketball team, has scored over 100 points this past season, and has accepted an offer to attend St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania for Fall 2010. Although he may seem like any other average 18 year old, Jermaine’s road to success both on-and-off the court has been met with unexpected health and psychological challenges along the way.
Back in February of 2006, 15 year-old Jermaine awoke from his sleep alarmed by a splitting headache. After notifying his mother, they drove to Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in the Bronx, where doctors soon discovered that Jermaine had a tumor on the left side of his brain. Immediately undergoing a full day of surgery, doctors were able to successfully remove his tumor. However, shortly thereafter, Jermaine had to undergo a subsequent procedure to drain excess fluid from his brain. For the rest of his life, Jermaine chooses to carry an apparatus that alleviates any excess fluid from the brain in order to avoid another possible fatal accident.
Jermaine spent the bulk of the next four months recovering at Our Lady of Mercy - essentially re-learning and re-training both his mind and body to function as it once did. In particular, doctors were worried that Jermaine’s memory would be affected. He spent his days tirelessly working on memory-building exercises. Jermaine was also determined to regain his strength in order to return to the basketball court - he spent four months slowly building his strength to walk and eventually enough to shoot hoops.
Though Jermaine recognizes he was dealt a difficult hand, he values the important life lessons that his experience has taught him.
Jermaine’s special relationship with Columbus High School’s YDC Kiesha (Kie)McCrae, helped him to quickly recover and catch up with his peers; as she worked with him to vigorously retrain his body to get back into shape, while providing undivided study help with classes and academic work.
Eager for college, Jermaine exhibits a rare sense of confidence and maturity that few his age display. The eldest of three, Jermaine will be the first in his family to attend college - another incredible accomplishment. Deeply affected by his life-altering experience, Jermaine will not only try out for the St. Francis basketball team, but also hopes to pursue a degree in psychology to learn more about the brain and human behavior. Jermaine explains that this way he can give back to the community- by helping others make sense of their own emotional state.
