Brownwood News – Tim Stegemoller settled back in his chair and reflected, “A mom talked to me the other day about Denny; her son and Denny grew up together, and her son was kind of a protector for Denny. He cares about him, and that is the norm rather than the exception. The kids have all just taken to him cause he’s such a character.” Owen (Denny) Johnson is set to graduate with the class of 2019, as a senior who has seen moments of heartache and, ultimately, moments of triumph.
Three years ago, Tim Stegemoller, a Special Education teacher at Brownwood High School, was provided an opportunity to take his student into his home and to care for him as a foster parent, giving him not only a stable classroom environment, but a consistent home life as well. “Denny had long, wild hair. He was a whirlwind,” Stegemoller said. “I thought, maybe there’s an opportunity here. I wouldn’t be by myself; I have a good support system. I knew that either I would take him, or we would have to put him in foster care somewhere else.” Where Stegemoller saw opportunity, Johnson recognized a safe place. At the age of ten, Johnson’s mother had succumbed to cancer. Johnson had been highly involved in caring for his mother and the sickness shook the household. “He watched that whole process,” said Andy Gill, Associate Principal of BHS. “It’s hard enough for anybody, but especially for someone with special needs.” After his mother was gone, Johnson spent many years switching home locations, sometimes without shelter or knowing where the next meal would come from. “He didn’t know if he would get a next meal, let alone where it’s going to come from,” Gill said. “It was an unfortunate situation.”
But the situation changed when Stegemoller accepted the opportunity, and Denny has grown and flourished through the years. “Mr. Stegemoller has done an incredible job being a savior in Denny’s life, although he’d never say so himself,” Gill said. “Denny wouldn’t be here, and I mean that. Tim has given him stability. Tim gave structure, and a student will respect that over time. Denny used to break things or respond in anger. He didn’t know how to channel his anger. He didn’t know what he was angry at, but given where he was and what he went through, you can understand why he had that anger.” As a freshman, Johnson would sit in the reading corner, withdrawn from others and lost in the world of books. Now, both Stegemoller and Gill seek just the right words to describe Johnson’s vivaciousness. “He has a heart for folks,” said Stegemoller. “He attends church with me, and he says prayers or leads singing. He is service-oriented. Denny is a live wire. He is constantly on the move. He enjoys being with people; he’s real social.” Gill agreed. “In two minutes, you’ve made a lifelong friend with Denny,” Gill said. “And I mean that genuinely. He won’t forget your name. He’s a very social young man. He will tell you how it is, and he’s like that with everybody.”
So from withdrawn and moody, the social butterfly has emerged, creating a new and hopeful future for both Johnson and Stegemoller. “It’s been so good just to have a buddy to run around with, because I’ve been by myself for a long time,” Stegemoller said. “Just having accountability in caring for another human being, and creating an environment where he feels safe, where he’s able to excel in his life… It was tough at first. He wasn’t used to structure. But once he figured it out, he’s been loving, kind, and sweet. It’s been amazing what he’s done for myself and for our family. They’ve taken him in as one of their own. That’s been a blessing as well, to see him get along with my family. He’s one of the family now. I can’t imagine myself without him.”
While circumstances had been challenging, the opportunity arose for the heroes of the scene to establish themselves. The BHS staff supported Stegemoller and Johnson, bringing food, clothing, and encouragement as needed. Stegemoller’s church also threw a housewarming party. “Mr. and Mrs. Gill, Mr. and Mrs. Moore, Lindsay and Mike Smith, they’ve been so good to us,” Stegemoller said. “The Life Skills teachers too. One of the Life Skills teachers encouraged me to take the leap in the first place. The staff has been so kind and accommodating.” Johnson has a supportive system in place to help him find an exciting new tomorrow. He participates in the Special Olympics team, bowling and running the hundred-yard dash. He plays bocce ball and collects sunglasses, and when asked what he wanted as a graduation gift, he requested a thesaurus, “so he could learn more words. Denny loves knowledge,” Stegemoller said. The pair have gone to numerous Rangers games and, of course, Brownwood Lions football games. When he’s not in class, he works at Janie Clements Industries, prepping materials for Danhill Containers and Kohler. Along with being fascinated at taking apart small devices, he also enjoys being lazy at the end of a long day, in his new home. “I think it’s good for me [to live with Tim],” Johnson said. “I love him, and I have always cared for him. He is my favorite guy in the whole wide world.”
Upon graduation, Johnson will continue working at JCI, and will also participate in the Eighteen Plus program at BHS. This program allows students an additional year to sharpen much-needed life skills like sorting and doing laundry, grocery list and meal preparation, money management, and other proficiencies. “As much as I like him, I realize I won’t always be with him, so we’d like to have those skills,” Stegemoller said. “BISD would be the poorer for not having Denny. He’s a unique character. He always makes you laugh. He’s so goofy and smart. He adds that different perspective that you’re like, ‘Oh, okay, I didn’t know you were thinking that way, but I’m glad you did’. Just having a consistent place to be, consistency in his life, has helped. It was on my heart to help him and maybe fill in the gaps. I know Denny is going to be fine.”
Denny Johnson will walk the stage on Friday, May 31 with the BHS graduating class of 2019.
“Overcoming the Odds” is a series of articles illustrating the heart and grit of the 2019 graduating class of Brownwood High School.
