To the world Justin Back was a sailor in the United States Navy, a certified
fire fighter and EMT, a high school graduate, and pretty much a normal eighteen
year old who was trying to enjoy his life before the real responsibilities kicked in.
But in many ways he was so much more than that. Justin was full of life; he had a
way of making every moment special no matter how small it really was. And no
matter how bad of a mood you were in his presence would instantly lighten up
your day. He had a special way of opening up your eyes and helping you see life as
a joyful experience.
Justin was definitely one of a kind and a person we all can say we strive to
be. He was loyal to not only his close friends but to everyone. If you needed
someone to talk to he was there and never left your side in any and all situations
that any of us went through. When we all were going through rough times and felt
that we were each alone, Justin was right there with each of us helping us through
it. Justin had a way about him that even if you didn’t know him that well you
trusted him and felt safe enough to spill everything to him. He wasn’t they type
that you had to wonder if he talked about you when you weren’t in the room, he
was genuine. And no matter if he knew you for years or if he met you right then
he would not only listen but actually care about you and try to help with whatever
he could. He was the person you could talk to for hours about anything in this
world and his attention and enthusiasm never faulterd.
Anyone who is going into the Navy and becoming certified in fire fighting
and EMT has to exuberate great amounts of work ethic as well as be a hard worker.
Justin showed these qualities not just in the big life changing moments when it
counted, but in everything that he did. He worked down at the McDonalds in town
for three years. He always flashed that huge “Tom Cruise” smile no matter what
anyone asked him to do he would jump right on it. Being a small town McDonalds
there is a group of senior citizens that meet regularly and spend a lot of time
talking together and socializing. Justin was always the one who went up to talk to
them and see if there was anything he could do to help them or assist them while
they were there. He was personable. A blast to be around and everyone wanted to
be around him. And he made you feel good because he made time for everyone.
Justin was unique in the way that he was one of the most objective, fairminded, and honest people to talk to. He was never scared to tell it like he saw it,
even if it meant upsetting one of his good friends or a family member. He not only
knew the difference between right and wrong but had the courage to stand up when
the wrongs were happening. There have been numerous people that have come
forward and told the stories of when they were getting bullied and while everyone
walked on or added to the hostility; Justin was the one who stepped in to put it to
an end.
When anyone thinks of Justin it is hard to dwell on the sad things for long
because the funny jokes, pranks, and personality of him shines through. Whenever
he was around you knew that you were going to be laughing until you cried. He
was someone you wanted to be around all the time. His lunch table at school was
always over crowded and the loudest table of the bunch. No matter how bad of a
mood you were in it was impossible to not laugh at his jokes. He always tried to
make people laugh especially during there hard times. His big smile was enough
to make anyone and everyone around him smile. We can all agree that he made
our lives more enjoyable.
Justin never realized it but he had a huge impact on many peoples’ lives.
Even in his short time here he taught us all many things that we will care
with us for as long as we live. He taught us to look at the brighter side of things
and not dwell on the bad things that will only be short-term. He taught us how we
should strive to be. If people are being bullied or mistreated then we need to act on
them rather than stand on the sidelines. And above all he not only taught but
showed us that being a good person and friend is not a hard thing to do you just
have to care.
Even after his passing he continued to teach us lessons we will carry for the
rest of our lives. He made us all realize how much we care for our families and
friends and made us all hug them a little tighter and say “I love you” a little more.
We always hold our friends near and dear to our hearts but he made us realize how
much they really do mean to us. And how each one of them has a huge impact on
our lives even if they don’t try or realize that they do. Justin also taught us how
fragile life is and how the ones you love and care about can be taken so swiftly.
The moment we heard the news that Justin was murdered will be a moment
that is burned into our hearts and minds for forever. Every emotion and reaction
would go off at the same time. Anger, sadness, confusion, hatred, and numbness
don’t give the way we felt or what we were experiencing any sort of justice. For
some of us our heads began to fog over with thoughts and disbeliefs. Others had
their breath taken away. It’s hard to understand the feeling of having your heart
ripped out until you lose someone who holds a special place in your heart. We are
all still trying to cope and we don’t believe that we will ever fully heal from this
tragic event. How do you go on without the one person who you knew would
always be there for you? He was loved by many and will be forever missed. There
isn’t a day that goes by that we wish we could call him up and hang out or even
just talk to him. And we all relish on the days and moments where we feel his
presence or get to experience him messing with our radios, or visiting us in our
dreams. We miss him more than anything and we would all give anything to have
him back. Justin Back was so many things for each one of us. He was the one
thing that everyone hopes they get to have at least once in their lifetime; a true
friend. But even more importantly a friend who turned into family.
None of us understood or will ever understand how someone on this earth
could commit an act as barbaric and heartless as this. Justin was going to go so far
in life and he forcefully lost his chance. People like Austin Myers and Tim Mosley
should be recognized for what they are-monsters. And none of us can imagine that
the people who cause this kind of pain are able to get away with it. The people
who create this kind of heartache did something that can never be taken back. A
life is the most valuable thing on this earth and for someone to take another’s and
destroy countless others is hard to comprehend. They deserve the full brunt of the
law. We believe that they passing of Justin’s law could help keep other families
form dealing with the loss that the Cates’ have felt and the loss of this community.
We will never be able to see our friend Justin again on this earth. All we can do is
work through it, keep his memory alive, and keep his legacy going. We will never
understand why this happened. But if the passing of this law makes someone think
twice before attempting such a heinous act, saves the life of someone who has so
much to give, and saves another family and community from this pain then maybe
the saying that “all things happen for a reason” will ring true.