b a s k e t b a l l
p l a y e r
f e a t u r e :
t h e
j o h n s o n s
unbreakable
Johnson family bond strong despite circumstance
Tom Campbell
BY STACY CLARDIE
SClardie@GoldandBlack.com
R
ona Johnson gave a flat "no."
When oldest son Terone Jr.
wanted a tattoo, she told him she
didn't like them. Didn't matter she
had her own — it's different when
it's your kids who want them, she
said.
But Terone wouldn't be deterred.
Without getting permission, he
snuck a photo out of the house and
took it to an artist, who inked the
likeness on Terone's left biceps.
Rona got a call soon after from a
friend, whose son had accompanied
Terone, and was told how much she
liked Terone's tattoo.
"What tattoo?!" Rona said.
The other mom didn't know she
f
Terone (left) and Ronnie Johnson learned quickly the strength of family, seeing
mom Rona, especially, rise up when dad Terone Sr. was imprisoned for more
than a decade. She kept the family strong during that struggle, and "now I think
we're closer than ever as a family," Terone Jr. says.
was breaking news. So by the time
Terone got home, Rona was steaming, ready to get on him for disobeying.
And then he showed her the tattoo.
It was her face.
Underneath were words in script:
"There's no way I could pay you back,
but my plan is to show you that I understand and you are appreciated."
"I just teared up," Rona Johnson
said of the tattoo and the words, lyrics from a rap by Tupac. "I was like,
'Oh, that's so nice.' It looks really
good. It looks exactly like the picture
he took with him."
For Terone, it was more than art.
It was a permanent reminder.
Of her struggle.
Of her strength.
Of her triumph.
Of her ferocity to fight for family,
for their family, when circumstances easily could have dictated otherwise.
The easy choice would have been
to be finished, most moms would,
she admits, severing ties with a husband in prison.
But Rona Johnson was too strong
for that, and that's a trait she instilled in her sons, Terone Jr., Te'Ron
and Ty'Riek.
IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2
27
