Earlier this month, Wenatchee High School math teacher Dustin Johnson had to undergo emergency open heart surgery after just one month of teaching. Wenatchee Education Association President Kris Cameron said in an email that Wenatchee School District payroll has confirmed that enough sick leave has been donated to carry Johnson through the month of October.

“I felt totally broken and it was difficult to imagine I would ever feel ‘normal’ again,” Johnson said. “However, recovery is going well and each day brings me a little bit closer to feeling healed.”

In order to make it through the recovery process, Johnson is in need of sick leave to get him through the recovery time, because he has not been in the school district long enough to acquire enough sick leave.

Johnson expects to return to teaching on Nov. 17.

“So, if there were any other staff members who have excess sick leave they would like to donate to help cover those two weeks in November, it would be greatly appreciated,” Johnson said. “But either way, I would like to give a sincere thank you to those who donated time to get me through October.”

If any teachers would like to donate any sick leave to Johnson for November, Cameron can be contacted via email.