This week’s Hometown Hero, presented by Hendrick Southpoint, is Daniel Johnson.
Johnson is a PhD student at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. He’s also an army veteran that served as a journalist for the 101st Airborne division. He worked with artillery units in Iraq and he watched many friends he served with suffer from mental health struggles after returning home. He began studying mental health struggles and suicide rates amongst soldiers, which led him to blast overpressure injuries, the impact on the brain from being in close proximity to high-powered guns. He wrote a piece about it in Slate Magazine and assisted on a New York Times piece that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His work has led to Congress passing the Blast Overpressure Safety Awareness Act.
Listen to this week’s Hometown Hero segment below, and check in next week for another recognition of someone who is making a difference in our community! Do you have someone who you’d like to nominate as a Hometown Hero? Click here to let us know about the good they’re doing around town!
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines