Big John Barker, John Austin to his family, is no stranger to the citizens of Jena. Actually, he could be described as a hometown celebrity. He is the friendly face that greets customers at the local hardware store and helps locate everything from garden tools to plumbing parts. He’s a diehard fan of the Jena Giants football team and at the onset of this season is beginning his 17th straight year as team manager. If that’s not enough, he’s an avid hunter, an active fisherman and a You-Tube and Facebook star who has appeared on renowned outdoor hunting shows such as Mark Drury Outdoors. He also records and posts “Big John’s Outdoors” on both YouTube and Facebook and has a faithful fanbase. To top it all off, Big John has overcome the challenge of being born with two holes in his heart and a rare disease called Jacobson’s Syndrome, not that he’s ever let any obstacle keep him from reaching his dreams.
