This guy right here, he was an amazing young man. He was born at 1 lb 8 oz. He lived his first four months in the nicu battling everyday to live. Monitors and tubes everywhere for months, under 24 hour surveillance to make sure he was breathing, to make sure he stayed strong. Fast forward a few years this guy starts school. He fails two grades. He pushes through. Wanting to give up this guy makes it to high school. Not only was he going to school, he was working his summers in the hay fields and mowing yards to make money until he met a man who took a chance and gave him a part time job in construction. He planned his future of first going into the army and then being a mechanic and welder. And at his young age he was good at both with very little training. He finally graduated from high school working twice as hard as other students to get there. Tragedy hit one fateful evening when he went to have some fun riding an atv. He spent a week in a coma. He woke up not knowing where he was or why. He had to learn how to walk again as well as train to remember how to do certain things like eating without choking on food. He fought to get out of the hospital for a month only to have to go back hours after being released due to not being able to catch his breath. Again he was in a coma. This time he didn’t wake up. He was a strong young man but fought far too hard and too long when he just couldn’t fight anymore. He became brain dead Easter Sunday of this year. After his death, it was decided that he would keep living through other people. He would donate his organs to those in need. His heart to a 12 year old boy for a second chance at a full life. His lungs to a 57 year old man to see a brighter future. Kidneys, liver and pancreas to young women who decided to make the most out of the chance they were given to spend time with their loved ones. His corneas went to someone who was once blind but can now see the world. This strong, amazing, compassionate young man who fought his entire life to become the man he was, was my son Justin. I am very proud of him and love him and miss him every day as the rest of his family does the same.
He was a fighter.
Stephanie Neiswenter-Runyon
