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Community Wishbook: St. Lucie dad with Lou Gehrig's disease, family need a little help with bills

Can you help Frederick Johnson and his family make ends meet?
By Laurie K. Blandford
Sunday, November 30, 2008

Frederick Johnson looks out from behind his mask while undergoing a breathing treatment to help him stay alive while in the living room area of his home in Fort Pierce. Frederick Sr. suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, and requires 24-hour care, including the use of a breathing machine 13-14 hours a day to keep him alive. The biggest thing is the utility bill is very high. With the low finances we have, we don't have enough to do other stuff with the kids. Our utility bills are very high." his wife Sabrina said.





FORT PIERCE — On good days, 37-year-old Frederick Johnson speaks clearly, has energy and is able to go outside.

On bad days, he can barely talk, is angry and gets headaches. His wife, Sabrina, 33, said he isn't functional at all those days.

But on all days, Frederick needs 24-hour care and is constrained to his automatic wheelchair by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Sabrina Frederick, who takes care of him and their three children, isn't able to work. Not including food stamps, the family survives on less than $1,000 a month.

Frederick uses a breathing machine 12 to 13 hours each day for problems caused by ALS, and the amount of time increases as he progresses. The monthly utilities bill is $440.

"We don't do too much outings," Sabrina said. "That's kind of hard for the kids."

Both from Fort Pierce, Frederick and Sabrina became the Johnsons the same year he was diagnosed with ALS at age 24. He suffered from muscle spasms and was falling at work for two years before he visited a neurologist at the University of Miami and received the diagnosis.

"(The neurologist) didn't understand it because he was like, 'it normally starts when you're 40,'" Sabrina Frederick said. "That's why they didn't know exactly what was going on."

Sabrina said the children — Frederick Jr., 13; Frebrina, 12; and Frederick III, 10 — are a big help, like when they take turns feeding their dad. Frederick III plays baseball, Frebrina runs track and Frederick Jr. played Pop Warner football until the family couldn't afford the $70 registration and $50 deposit for this year.

The utilities bill wipes out most of Frederick's monthly Social Security disability check. Sabrina uses the aid to families she receives for their car, its insurance and their phone bill — her cell phone. Their public housing rent — based on income — is $117 each month.

"We're not asking for much," Sabrina said. "We just want to be comfortable where we don't have to worry."

Since she was assigned to the case at the beginning of October, Kiera Black, a social worker from Treasure Coast Hospice, said she has tried her best to connect the Johnsons with the needed community resources. She said her organization pieces everything together to keep the family afloat.

"You can just hope to have more good days than bad days," Black said. "There's not really anything Fred can do. It's just one day at a time."

WANT TO HELP?

Donate money and children's clothes to the Johnsons by contacting Renee Scott of St. Lucie County Community Services at (772) 462-1777.



http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/nov/...y-need-a-help/