Justin Shufflin

I would like to tell you about my hero, my son. Well I really don’t know where to start. I guess at the beginning of my son’s life. Justin Shufflin was born January 19, 1985 in Shreveport Louisiana at 6:31 am. He was 7lbs and 5ozs of pure awesomeness. We were so very proud of our son. Justin was the best little baby, never cried or fussed. Always a happy boy. He has a sister that is 17 months older than him and she loved him dearly. He was very close to his sister. They were best friends. Even when they were small , they looked out for each other.

Justin was a very gentle kid, always scared of dogs but wanted one. Then when he was 9 years old we got a dog. He and that dog became best friends, they played together every day, swam together ran through the woods together, everything. Slept in his room with him. Watched over him.

He loved basketball when he was 10-11. So he started playing on the school team. He was their number one player, and we were very proud of him. By the time he entered high school and was trying out for varsity basketball he broke his ankle and didn’t get to play. He was heart broken. He loved basketball, and it was his dream to one day play for the NBA. But that dream ended when he broke his ankle. It never healed properly.

Then he buried himself in learning about psychology. He was fascinated with how the mind worked. He focused on his knowledge of books, universe. Justin was a very intelligent young man. He was the kind of person that if he set his mind on something he was going to do it. Yes, he was headstrong.

Then he met a young woman and after a little while they had a daughter, she was his pride and joy. I had never seen Justin so happy or proud. She was his whole world. He taught his daughter a lot in the short time they were together. When she was 2 he taught her how to play chess, and she’s pretty good at it. He looked out for for his daughter.

Yes, he was my baby. He was my friend and we talked a lot. We were close and that’s a gift. I remarried when Justin was 9, but he went to the man that I married and “had a talk with him “ about marrying me. I loved that. And just so you know he and his stepdad were close too. He loved and when he did, he loved with everything he had. Justin loved to teach children, he loved knowledge, helping people and teaching his daughter. Justin and Chelsea, his daughter, were best friends. They were very close to each other. She misses her daddy so much. I miss my son so much.

Justin and I would talk about everything. And he told me that if anything ever happened to him before me, he wanted to donate what he could to help someone else. So when that sad sad day came and I didn’t want my son to die, I prayed and prayed and cried for my son to get better. But it wasn’t meant to be. As sad as it all was I have to say I carried out my son’s wishes.

He was 33 years old when he passed from this world, leaving behind his beautiful 8 year old daughter. He adored her dearly, and she loved her daddy dearly.

He was a handsome young man with bright blue eyes and a smile that would light up a room. He was a great son, daddy, brother and uncle. He loved knowledge and learning all he could about everything he could. He was big hearted person. He would help anyone with anything he could. He was a very healthy young man as far as he and us knew. He was an electrician and he was good at what he did.

Our lives are so empty without him. I miss him so much everyday. His daughter misses her daddy so much. But she understands that he wanted to help others when he passed away. We are all very proud of him for being a donor and helping others. So far he has helped three men that we know of, and I’m happy to know that my son’s heart goes on beating in someone else and helps them live. I find a little comfort in knowing that.

I can’t tell you how much I love and miss my son, I think of him every day. But I know I will see him again one day. My hero, my son. His name is Justin Edward Shufflin. 33 year old young man with a great heart for helping people. Justin, mama loves you son. And again, I was very proud of Justin. He left this world helping others, as he did when he was here. He may not be a hero to most people but to me he has always been my hero!