DEVANTE CHRISTOPHER, THANK YOU. WELL, FEBRUARY IS AMERICAN HEART MONTH AND HEART HEALTH IMPACTS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. IN FACT, THERE’S A YOUTH HEART AMBASSADOR FOR THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION WHO IS ONLY IN THE THIRD GRADE AND ATTENDS WILKESBORO ELEMENTARY. WXII 12 JACKIE PASCALE BRINGS US THE STORY OF NINE YEAR OLD ROGAN ALL NEW AT FIVE. YOU GET TO RUN AROUND AND DRIBBLE AND SHOOT HOOPS. LOOKING AT NINE YEAR OLD ROGAN JOHNSON PLAYING SPORTS, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, SOCCER AND SCORING POINTS. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THAT? SCORING GOALS? YOU WOULDN’T KNOW THE FULL STORY OF ALL IT TOOK TO GET ON THE FIELD. I SHOW ALL MY SCAR, BUT IT’S ON HIS CHEST AND IN HIS HEART. ALL THE TIME. I HAD TWO HOLES IN MY HEART AND THEY HAD TO DO SURGERY. FOR FIVE HOURS. ROGAN WAS ONLY TEN MONTHS OLD WHEN HE HAD THAT OPEN HEART SURGERY. HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO KNOW? NOT THAT BAD. HIS MOM, STEPHANIE JOHNSON, SAYS THE SCARIEST PART FOR HER WAS THE UNKNOWN. IT WAS VERY DEVASTATING. I WAS THE FIRST TIME MOM. WITH GOOD DOCTORS, GOOD TESTING. GOD IS GOOD. WE HAVE MADE IT THROUGH IT AND IT’S BEEN A JOURNEY, BUT IT’S BEEN A GOOD JOURNEY. WHILE THE JOURNEY IS NOT OVER FOR THE JOHNSON FAMILY, I STILL HAVE TWO LEAKING VALVES. THEY SAY ROGAN IS GROWING NORMALLY AND EVEN CLEARED RECENTLY FOR CONTACT SPORTS, SO NOW THEY’RE WORKING TO SUPPORT OTHER FAMILIES GOING THROUGH SIMILAR SITUATIONS. HE HAS BEEN THE TOP FUNDRAISER FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE IT’S SO DEAR TO OUR HEARTS, ROGAN IS TAKEN ON THE KIDS HEART CHALLENGE FROM THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION SINCE HE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN AT WILKESBORO ELEMENTARY, RAISING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVER THE YEARS, AND THIS EARNED HIM THE TITLE OF YOUTH HEART AMBASSADOR FOR THE ORGANIZATION THIS YEAR. I FELT EXCITED, HAPPY AND SURPRISED. AND HIS GOAL IS SIMPLE RAISE MORE MONEY, HE SAID. HE JUST WANTS TO HELP KIDS WITH HEART ISSUES LIKE HE HAD, RIGHT? YEAH. IN WILKESBORO JACKIE PASCALE WXII 12 NEWS. WHAT A GREAT KID. ROGAN’S GOAL IS TO RAISE $3,000 THIS HEART MONTH. WE HAVE THE LINK TO DONATE TO HIS CAMPAIGN ON OUR WEBSITE WXII 12.COM, AND HE KNOWS THE IMPORTAN
'I had two holes in my heart': Wilkes County boy chosen as Heart Hero Ambassador
Rogan Johnson survived open heart surgery at 10 months old, now shares his story to raise money for American Heart Association
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Updated: 7:40 PM EST Feb 8, 2024
Rogan Johnson's hobbies, besides attending his classes at Wilkesboro Elementary School, center around sports, hunting and family time. One life-long commitment for him, though, is heart health tests. Those started before he was even a year old.From the time Rogan was born, his doctors heard a murmur in his heartbeat. Eventually, they diagnosed him with an atrioventricular septal defect with pulmonary stenosis. This meant he had holes in his heart that needed to be repaired via surgery, which he underwent at ten months old. His mom, Stephanie Johnson, said she was devastated. Top Stories5-year-old with autism escapes Surry County elementary school, runs across road despite staff present‘Worst nightmare’: Parents of child at center of Mount Airy KinderCare investigation sues day careNorth Carolina man arrested after his wife found shot to death in Stokes CountyGet the latest news stories of interest by clicking here"I was a first-time mom," Johnson said. "It's just the unknown. But with good doctors, good testing, God is good. We have made it through it. It's been a journey, but it's been a good journey."Nine years later, Rogan has a mostly healthy heart. He said he still has some leaky valves, but they monitor them with checkups and extensive testing every six months. And recently, he was even cleared by his doctors to play full-contact sports like football.But putting on pads and a helmet are not Rogan's focus for the month of February. He said it's simply "raising more money" for the American Heart Association, as the organization recently named him a Heart Hero Ambassador as part of the Kid’s Heart Challenge.Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts"He has been the top fundraiser the last couple years," his mom said. "The American Heart Association is so dear to our hearts. We just ask for as many donations as we can to help other kids, those as small as he was."You can donate to Rogan's fundraiser by clicking here; his goal is to raise $3,000 by the end of this month.Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.One other goal for the family is to re-meet Chris Janson, who visited Rogan's hospital when he was still in the ICU post-op. Rogan said he still loves his song, "Buy Me a Boat," to this day.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |TRENDING STORIES
WILKESBORO, N.C. — Rogan Johnson's hobbies, besides attending his classes at Wilkesboro Elementary School, center around sports, hunting and family time. One life-long commitment for him, though, is heart health tests. Those started before he was even a year old.
From the time Rogan was born, his doctors heard a murmur in his heartbeat. Eventually, they diagnosed him with an atrioventricular septal defect with pulmonary stenosis. This meant he had holes in his heart that needed to be repaired via surgery, which he underwent at ten months old. His mom, Stephanie Johnson, said she was devastated.
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Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here
"I was a first-time mom," Johnson said. "It's just the unknown. But with good doctors, good testing, God is good. We have made it through it. It's been a journey, but it's been a good journey."
Nine years later, Rogan has a mostly healthy heart. He said he still has some leaky valves, but they monitor them with checkups and extensive testing every six months. And recently, he was even cleared by his doctors to play full-contact sports like football.
But putting on pads and a helmet are not Rogan's focus for the month of February. He said it's simply "raising more money" for the American Heart Association, as the organization recently named him a Heart Hero Ambassador as part of the Kid’s Heart Challenge.
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
"He has been the top fundraiser the last couple years," his mom said. "The American Heart Association is so dear to our hearts. We just ask for as many donations as we can to help other kids, those as small as he was."
You can donate to Rogan's fundraiser by clicking here; his goal is to raise $3,000 by the end of this month.
Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.
One other goal for the family is to re-meet Chris Janson, who visited Rogan's hospital when he was still in the ICU post-op. Rogan said he still loves his song, "Buy Me a Boat," to this day.
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