NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For weeks, this has been a disturbing sight in downtown Nashville: a man walking around with a horrific head wound.
Photos of 39-year-old Jonathan Johnson went viral and people wondered how this could have happened. But one woman saw the photos and decided to take action: she picked him up and took him to medical care.
She also called me and I was able to see the situation first hand and the pictures are not misleading. The wound is graphic.
“It’s not that I don’t want help. I want help,” Johnson told me. “Very few people have tried to help me.”
The Good Samaritan – who wishes to remain anonymous – heard about Johnson. She found him downtown, called this reporter, and then we took him to the hospital.
Johnson says he was hit by a car seven years ago and got a plate in his head, and recently had complications that required the plate to be removed.
Johnson then said – without really explaining – that he left before the part could be replaced.
Doctors in Summit, where Johnson did not have any of the plate surgeries, cleaned the wound and released Johnson. The next step is to close the wound.
“If I had to undergo another surgery to put the metal plate back in so the skin could grow over it, I would be happy to do that,” he added.
At the moment, Johnson is doing well and it has been agreed that he will move into a hostel for the time being. Johnson is homeless and has no family nearby.
Since learning of Johnson’s situation, many have offered to help. But money is needed to cover the cost of food at the group home. You can contact City Councilor Jordan Huffman at [email protected] to make a donation.
We will continue to keep you updated on his story.
Do you have any further information about this story? You can email me at [email protected].
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