Only 40 years old, he began to wonder whether he would be around to watch his daughter Emelia grow up. On a Disney World trip, he thought, “What will happen when she gets older? I can't even fit in the seats of these rides now; if I continue the way I'm going, I won't be around for her as she grows.” This realization helped him come to one of the most important decisions of his life - to lose weight and to radically change his lifestyle.
He finally reached that place in his head where he knew he wanted to lose weight more than anything else, and Emelia served as the catalyst. On the recommendation of Franciscan Hammond Clinic, and seeing the newspaper ads and billboards for Dr. Gerald A. Cahill, Johnny turned to Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Dyer for his miracle, where he elected to have minimally invasive gastric bypass surgery.
He was scared but thought, “I could die if I don't do it, so I am prepared to die trying.” Within six months of Johnny’s surgery, his weight was down to 230, a 255-pound weight loss from his highest point. John attributes his success to determination, attending Franciscan St. Margaret Health support groups, and help from staff such as Patricia Konvalinka from Franciscan Hammond Clinic, who encouraged him along the whole way. Today, when he drives with his mom by a billboard for Dr. Cahill, she waves and says, “Thanks, Doc.” To Johnny and his family, losing all that weight is nothing short of a miracle.
