SPRINGFIELD, Mo. —When he was 6, police caught Kindall Johnson trying to cross Sunshine Street by himself. The Marine-obsessed child had discovered the recruitment office, then located in the Elfindale Center.
His mother, Kathy Davis, seemed to enjoy sharing that memory.
“One night I’m cooking dinner and there was a knock at the door. It was two police officers and Kindall was standing there smiling,” she said. “He had bumper stickers, lanyards, pencils, pads of paper. And he goes, ‘I found this really cool place and they give you all this free stuff.’“
Johnson stayed in touch with the recruiters and never wavered on his plan to enlist.
A strong runner, Johnson was invited to train with recruits who were getting ready to ship out. He was just 15 years old.
A few days after high school graduation, he was sent to boot camp.
Five years later, he died of a gunshot wound. The Marine was not killed by enemy fire.
Shortly after attending a Missouri State University homecoming tailgate party on Oct. 17, 2015, Johnson drove to the police station on Chestnut Expressway. He sent several messages to friends and family, apologizing and saying goodbye.
He then called 911 before shooting himself twice.
“We are always left with ‘why.’ Why did he feel there were no other options? Why didn’t he want to try? What happened?” Davis said, wiping away tears. “It kills me, just to think that he had to keep it to himself, that he couldn’t reach out.”
Davis said she doesn’t want this story to be just about her son.
