SAN ANGELO, TX—A young local woman who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, is going home.
Carlie Jo Johnson was diagnosed with acute B-cell leukemia last April, is finally going home after being away to get treatment for over a year. According to a Facebook post on July 10, 2025, by Carlie’s mother, TaLisha:
“Today was Carlie Jo’s 10th bone marrow biopsy. To say it is hard to watch is an understatement because she’s fully awake, but she handles it like a champ. If you’ve ever had a bone marrow biopsy, you completely understand. Even as her mom, I see the pain, but don’t fully understand how brave and tough she is to get through this!
Very thankful that Stee (Steeley Thomas) was in town. She was with Carlie Jo and held her hand the very first biopsy in April 2024 and she was able to be here today for her 100-day post-transplant biopsy. Seeing how much these two girls have grown over the last year is really awesome.
And now for some long-awaited GREAT news… we are coming home!!! Carlie Jo will still have to have appointments at least once a week until she’s off the Tacro (anti-rejection drug), but she’s doing well enough that we can finally be home and put this nightmare behind us. She still has a long road, so please continue prayers for her. Over the next 5 years, she will continue to have appointments and bone marrow biopsies. It’s so hard to believe we were praying and begging Gd for 2 to 5 more years with her when we got to UT Southwestern on that sunny day in April.
God is our strength and our fortress. He is our deliverer. He loves us. He grieves when we grieve, and he celebrates with us. If you don’t know Jesus or have a relationship with God, I truly hope that Carlie Jo’s journey has been an inspiration to you. I’m just so, so proud of her! Getting back to real life after so many changes is going to be an adjustment, but we are ready. One thing I’ve been so proud of her about is that she has never stopped looking ahead. She already has an apartment lined up in Early with a super sweet roommate and thinking about next steps for college. She is truly a warrior!
Please continue to pray for our friends and family that are still going through it:
- Koti Gooslby White
- Tristan Thompson
- Makenzie Boyd, Kade Pruitt
- Mallary Campos
- Robert Lasater
- Konner Barnes
- Ray Cook
And so many more!"
Steeley Thomas posted the following on Facebook as well:
"442 days ago, I got a text from my best friend saying 6 words that would alter her life forever. 440 days ago, I drove 5 hours and sat in a hospital bed hugging her, listening to a doctor saying words I couldn’t being to comprehend. Carlie Jo is a name you know if you know me. She has a story that is proof of the Lord and his power.
Carlie Jo is sunshine, she is strength, she is grace, she is beauty, she is loyalty, she is love, she is the epitome of goodness. This journey has been long and tiring on Carlie, her family, and her friends.
It has not been easy, they have not done it single handedly, they have become a unit of hope, grace, and strength for their girl. If you have ever been through something yourself or watched someone you love, go through it, my heart goes out to you, the Lord is with you. This journey finally has a light at the end of the tunnel, and I could not be prouder of this wonderful woman I get to call my best friend.
440 days ago, I watch my best friend have a bone marrow biopsy done. Watching someone you love in so much pain hurts your heart, Carlie Jo is a warrior through, she took it like a champ.
Although it is hard to find the words to explain what has happened in the past year and a half, the best thing I can say is the Lord is GOOD!!
442 days later, Carlie Jo had her 10th bone marrow biopsy done, and I saw the same fierce fight in her eyes and the same strong faith in her heart. I held her hand for the 1st biopsy and for the 10th one after transplant and 100 days of quarantine.
There have been so many ups and down throughout this, but Carlie Jo kept her heart and her light. She is an inspiration and the strongest person I know. I thank our Lord each day for her.Carlie Jo Grace Johnson, the Lord sent his toughest battle to his strongest soldier, and you fought and won. I am proud of you always."
Read our coverage of Carlie Jo’s journey below!
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