"Justin's Legacy"
Justin’s legacy is so hard to start. How do you sum up such a wonderful person into words, when he means so much to so many people. And words will never express enough just how much his life means to us all. But we hope this will convey just how blessed we all are that Justin is a part of our lives.
First and foremost he is the son of Michelle and Bill. Their pride and joy, the son that they would cherish since before he was even born. The light in both their eyes from the minute they found out they were going to have a baby. He had such a personality from the minute he was born. Those eyes told so much about how he was to be.
You could tell just by looking at him that he was a very sensitive caring person who would feel the feelings of others. Those big teardrops that would roll down his face when he thought someone was hurting. He cared how people were treated and how he treated people.
Always, from the time he was a baby that smile lit up his whole face and those eyes said everything. The compassion that filled his heart was noticed very early on with Justin. A very playful child that loved to have fun and be silly. Oh, and he had an ornery side too. The way he would play jokes on us and make us all laugh. How he would pick up his favorite book and read it to us at 2 years old. Whether he was really reading it or he just memorized the pages didn’t matter, we just loved seeing him sit there with such pride that he was saying the words as if he had wrote them himself.
His little voice reciting all names of his Matchbox cars as he was pointing them out to us. Loving his Ninja Turtles, which would be a huge part of his life for years. How he would act out the scenes from the show with his cousins like they were actually Donatello, Leonardo, Michaelangelo and Raphael.
There weren’t many fights between the kids when they were little. Justin wasn’t a confrontational person by nature. He was never an aggressive person; he was more of the peacekeeper with a lot of things. As we would come to find out, he would stay that way even up to the last day of his life.
Justin was always a person that you would want to be around. He made things fun. His smile, his laugh, and his fun loving personality. A very easygoing boy that just loved being a kid growing up. Always wanting to have fun.
He never left the house without an “I love you” and a big hug for his Mom. He wasn’t ever afraid to show the love he had for his Mom and Dad. The love of sports, especially baseball, that he shared with his Dad.
Justin’s life was filled with love in many different forms and he in turn would give love so easily to others. He would always be so loving to his cousins (aka-his brothers-n-sisters in his heart).
From the time he was little they meant the world to him. With every new cousin that would be born, he was the first in line to hold them. He loved being a “Big Brother” to them all and to his little sister Riley. He is a wonderful son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend.
Justin wanted to be a teacher, and in a huge way, he is. He taught us all a lot about life during his 18 years, 9 months and 5 days that he was here. From the minute he was born he taught us about love. He taught us what family is about and how to be there for each other through the good and the bad. We were always a close family, but in a lot of ways we are even closer now through him.
Justin unfortunately became the teacher to everyone in a way that we wish he hadn’t. That one mistake could be your last. That drinking and driving is never an option that should ever be considered, that even though you may think you can do it…Don’t.!!
He always gave people the benefit of the doubt and was a very loyal friend to everyone. He would put them before himself a lot of the times. Justin never thought (no teenager does) that this could happen. He was just being a typical teenager having fun and hanging out like we all did at one time. I truly believe that he definatly does not want this to happen to anyone else; especially to the ones he loves the most, his family.
This wasn’t how he was to become a teacher, but he has taught the ultimate lesson. How in a split second, everything can be changed forever.
But Justin’s legacy is not the lessons that he taught and is still teaching us all. Justin is so much more than what happened. His life was full of love, laughter, fun times, baseball games, music, and family.
Justin has taught us to be thankful for every second that we have with each other. Thankful for the 18 years 9 months and 5 days that we had with such a special boy here with us. Thankful that we have the honor to say “Justin is my son, my grandson, my brother, my nephew, my cousin or my friend. And that his life has a huge impact on my life. That he did make a difference in this world. He touched many hearts and gave so much to so many people.
Justin taught us that the most important thing that anyone can leave is the true meaning of “love”, how to be loved and how to give love. Because that is what Justin did his whole life. Gave his love so freely, with his compassion, and a caring heart for anyone that needed it.
