The Gift ♥️
The Gift of Life: Ja'Maar's Story Cont.
Ja'Maar quickly became addicted to the opioid painkiller that was prescribed to him by the doctor. He also was diagnosed with PTSD after having to deal with his experience and also having to live with the bullet in his neck for the rest of his life. Ja'Maar soon turned to heroin. By the time his family found out about his condition and tried to seek treatment for him, his illness quickly sent him down a dark path. At the age of 24 he was sentenced to 5 years and 5 years probation in Shirley Maximum Security prison. As he was incarcerated he continued to write his music and continued his education. His mother would receive pages of his music every month and kept them safe for him. She still has them in the same envelopes he sent them home in cherishing his music.
After his release in 2015 he continued writing songs and enjoyed being charismatic flirting with the ladies and rapping with friends in the studio. He was the life of the party with his family and friends. Dancing around and being FLY! There is a beautiful video of him and his mother dancing during the holiday season. It would be their last dance together. Ja'Maar was so handsome with his big hearty laugh and big beautiful smile. Although very loved by his family, Ja’Maar continued to struggle with PTSD and substance use disorder so he signed himself into treatment. He struggled with the program, but stuck it out and he was very proud of himself. His mother was so very proud of him and wanted permission from Ja'Maar to post his accomplishment on social media and Ja'Maar replied, Yes you should post it, if it will help somebody else." One of his greatest attributes was that he was always willing to help someone else. Flyboy 5ive always carried that big heart on his shoulder. He started working and carried on with his life. Still struggling with his addiction he soon violated his probation and went back in front of the judge. His mother pleaded with his probation officer to help him get in to a good treatment program to help with his PTSD AND his substance use condition. She reached out for help from the The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute (LDBPI) a center of Healing, Teaching and Learning for families and communities impacted by murder trauma grief and loss. The LDBPI also supported families of incarcerated loved ones. His mother was able to receive the emotional and practical support needed to navigate the court system. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option for his probation officer or the judge so they sent him back to prison for 2 more years. He was never the same after he returned home and he became more addicted to opioids, lost all hope and could not find it in his spirit to get back into treatment.
After his release in 2018, his family searched for creative pathways to recovery. They looked for the best way for Ja'Maar to move toward sustaining his road to recovery, and services that will support his mental health, substance use and creative talent so he can find hope again. After being incarcerated for so long, Ja'Maar stated that he struggled going into treatment fearing that it was equivalent to being in prison again. Over the years, he worked and became a loving father while still dreaming of being a rapper. His substance use disorder became more prevalent in his life as synthetic drugs and fentanyl got to the streets. His family never stopped intervening to help him re-enter treatment and never gave up hope.
On September 8, 2023 a little after 12:00 AM, Ja'Maar was out in the streets of Back Bay Boston when he was struck by an SUV. It was revealed later that the driver had burnt cannabis joints and open cannabis in a container in the vehicle. Ja'Maar was rushed to Tufts Medical Center in Boston with life threatening injuries. The outpouring of support from his family and friends flooded the hospital as they prayed and hoped for the best as he was connected to life support.
On September 11, 2023 at 6:28 PM the devastating news was announced, Ja'Maar was pronounced deceased. On life support his heart was beating strong, but he had no life in his brain. Because his heart was still beating his mother with a humbled heart decided to donate his heart. Since Ja'Maar so often wanted to help others, his heart became his last gift out of so many that he gave to the world. Before he was taken off of life support the hospital printed out his heartbeat line for the family. After hearing that Ja'Maar wrote and loved music, the doctors brought in a music therapist to meet with the family. She recorded Ja'Maar's heartbeat and also mixed his heartbeat into the song "Hush Little Baby" requested by his mother. His mother sang that song to him as a baby and was often heard singing it to him during his hospital stay. The music therapist and two support staff from the LDBPI played an intricate role in supporting the family during this heartbreaking time.
On September 14, 2023 approximately 12:17 PM Ja'Maar was taken off of life support to have his heart harvested for donation to save a 60 year old man’s life. As the music therapist played "Hush Little Baby" on her guitar and the family gathered, Tufts Medical Center honored him as a HERO and gave him one of the largest and most memorable Honor Walks to the operating room in the history of the hospital.
Ja’Maar D. Johnson THE GIFT OF LIFE 5/31/86-9/11/23
To save and heal lives through organ donation please call New England Donor Services (800) 446-6363
