Post updated 3/24/14

Almost one year ago on March 19, 2013, Lincoln lost a fellow lion in a tragic train accident. Donae James Johnican was just sixteen years old. He started at Lincoln as a Freshman in 2010. He was in orchestra, choir, and was very much loved by his peers. That is why it was so devastating for the whole school when he passed.

I interviewed two of Donae’s former teachers and a close friend of his to find out how the situation made them feel.

I asked French and Math teacher Jay Church, what it was like to have Donae in his class. “It was a pleasure seeing him smile in the morning when he walked through the door. It was frustrating at times because he was a free spirit, he liked to bring his guitar in, he would be singing as he came through the door, sometimes he wasn’t sure when that free time ended and class began but the big thing was seeing his smiling face.”

I asked Mr. Church what his opinion was on Donae’s music career. “It’s a really hard industry. It would’ve taken a lot of hard work, a little bit of luck, and a good amount of talent. He had the talent and I think he enjoyed it enough that he would’ve continued without thinking it was hard work.” Mr, Church still keeps Donae’s memory alive by keeping a picture of him on his iPhone and looks at it frequently.

On a more personal note, I asked Mr. Church what was going through his mind when he heard the terrible news. “That it was not true. I kept hoping it was a mistake. It was not true, that another announcement would come on and say it was a mistake.” All of Lincoln was hoping for that  second announcement to come, but as we all know, it never did.

I interviewed Donae’s Sophomore Biology teacher Bill Erlendson to find out what it was like having Donae in his class. “Donae was someone who had a lot of talent and a lot of caring so it added a nice vibe to class because it brought out the idea that school can be fun in a sense and he made the class very much relaxed, especially for a seventh period Biology class.”

I also asked Mr. E if he had anything the reminded him of Donae. “The song Billionaire and the guitar that I have at home because he was helping me play. I don’t play as much as I should because I get busy but when I do pick it up that’s a bit of a reminder.”

Donae touched a lot of lives, I asked Mr. E if Donae touched his and if so, how? “Yes, I would definitely say so, I think he just made me realize as an educator that everyone has their own talent, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a 4.0  to be successful. In Donae’s case he wasn’t a 4.0 student but he was a very very talented musician. I try to keep that in mind with a lot of other students, like what they have to offer that can change the world, in a sense.”

Donae’s death wasn’t just upsetting to the teachers, it was also very tramatic to the students as well. I interviewed a close friend of his Joseph Guardino to find out how he felt the day he found out his friend passed away. “I was shocked, just shocked. I didn’t want to believe it.” He said having Donae in his class was pretty awesome.  Donae “was an awesome bass player,” Joseph said.

I asked Joseph if he thought Donae was going anywhere with his music and he said, “Yeah totally. He was alwasy writing his own songs, and at lunch I’d hold his song book for him while he played his guitar. He liked to play Billionaire and Granade the most.”  When asked how he keeps Donae’s memory alive Joseph said to honor his memory he is still trying to learn the guitar that Donae made him promise to save up money for.

Out of the three people I interviewed they all had one thing in common to say about Donae. That he was all about his music. Before passing away he wrote a song called, Hard Lessons, about the school system and how education has changed. That song can be found on the D-Bug website where he recorded it and actually won a contest with it. That song will always be there as a reminder to remember him. Let us all keep Donae’s memory alive by remembering what he loved most, his music.