Our hero needs your help!
Police officers and firefighters are lifesaving angels to many. In Cincinnati, when these lifesaving first responders need their own angel to save them we have counted on one person more than any other. That lifesaver, that man, is Doctor Jay A. Johannigman.
In the Greater Cincinnati area if you wear a badge or don turn out gear, and you fall to the bullets, fall to thefire or suffer other life-threatening trauma you want to open your eyes to “Doctor Jay” by your side.
Cincinnati Police Officers alone have a roll call of survivors owing their lives to Doctor Jay. In 1988, Specialist Bob Hennekes was jogging when he observed an armed robber fleeing a bank. Bob attempted to follow the robber at a safe distance, but he ambushed and shot Bob. Specialist Hennekes was rushed to UC Hospital and was saved by Doctor Johannigman and his team.
In 1998, Officer Kathleen Conway was ambushed and shot numerous times before killing her assailant. Again, Doctor Jay was there to prevent a name from being added to the Police Memorial wall.
Two sergeants suffered life threatening and life altering traumas due to vehicular accidents. Sergeant Bryce Bezdek was on duty in 2007 when struck and dragged by a car on the expressway. In 2011 Sergeant Ron Schaeper was involved in a horrific crash on his way to work. I personally responded to UC Hospital after both incidents. In both cases I watched the synchronized work of the trauma team under the direction of Doctor Jay. Both men were near death with massive bodily trauma. In both instances Doctor Jay and his team overcame the odds and now both men lead quality lives.
Doctor Johannigman is also Colonel Johannigman of the United States Army (transferred from Air Force two years ago). Doctor Jay has deployed to war zones numerous times to do the work of an angel for our troops.
After his combat deployment in 2017, The University of Cincinnati did not return his “trauma call” status at the hospital. Bad blood or bad politics between Doctor Jay and a top administrator was the likely culprit. Doctor Jay had words with a resident doctor in 2018 that led to a complaint against him. This minor incident has sealed Doctor Jay’s fate in the mind of the administrators.
I talked to a retired Criminal Investigation’s supervisor about Doctor Jay’s situation. He recalled the talk in the unit that if not for Doctor Jay and his trauma team how much higher Cincinnati’s homicide rate would be. Homicide supervisors and investigators knew more than most, if they were to be shot or stabbed in their duties, they would pray Doctor Jay was working.
There are countless fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters attending holiday and family gatherings because of this gifted doctor and angel of a human being.
Now the administrators at UC Hospital should hear from the first responders in this area. Reinstate Doctor Jay!!
Daniel Hils