'We Play For' - PFC Kalin C. Johnson
The entire Falcons roster will honor fallen heroes Sunday by wearing initials on their helmets. FB Patrick DiMarco will wear KJ for PFC Kalin Johnson, who grew up near the University of South Carolina where DiMarco attended.
Pfc. Kalin C. Johnson was born at a Navy Hospital in Charleston, SC. His grandfather was an infantryman, and Johnson started thinking about following in his footsteps as early as middle school.
Pfc. Johnson graduated from Lexington High School and enlisted as an infantryman, just like his grandfather. He graduated basic training at Ft. Benning in April 2010. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany and flew out the day after he turned 19.
Pfc. Johnson headed to Germany and left behind his parents, pregnant girlfriend, brother and sister. His son was born in June of 2010. He watched the birth from his laptop.
Pfc. Johnson was deployed in July 2010 to Afghanistan.
In September 2010, Pfc. Johnson came home for R&R. He held his son for the first time and surprised his sister at her school.
While on leave, Pfc. Johnson watched his brother score his first touchdown in rec league ball - he was always his biggest fan.
Pfc. Kalin Christopher Lee Johnson died on March 8, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident. Kalin was predeceased by another brother and leaves behind his parents, child, girlfriend, brother and sister.
The entire Falcons roster will honor fallen heroes Sunday by wearing initials on their helmets.
FB Patrick DiMarco will wear KJ for PFC Kalin Johnson, who grew up near the University of South Carolina where DiMarco attended.
