Remembering Justin
By: Shannon Murphy
Updated: February 18, 2013
He was a baseball star. A happy go lucky guy living life to its fullest. "He had an infectious personality. If you met Justin, you would remember him."
Justin Hilton had graduated college, started grad school, he had his whole life ahead of him. Then suddenly everything changed. When he was just 24 years old, Justin was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Doctors said at most he had 18 months to live, "I said, "well I only have energy to live on the positive side" and that's what Justin did, he lived everyday on the positive side."
Justin battled cancer for 4 years but it spread to his liver and then his lungs. Last month Justin peacefully passed away surrounded by family and friends. But that was just the beginning of his legacy.
Justin's college roommate and former teammate Lance Stopper says, "I think the biggest thing is now, we need to keep Justin's memory alive and K's for Cancer definitely does that."
Family and friends started a foundation last month in Justin's honor, K's for Cancer. The "K" standing for a strikeout in baseball terms.
Justin's dad said, "His friend said it best when he said, "We can't bring him back but we can make sure he never goes away."
A Mardi Gras event, turned charity competition in Williamsport gave the crew something to focus on. In one month, they were able to raise just over 30 thousand dollars for cancer research, breaking fundraising records and more than doubling their competition. Justin Hilton was named Mardi Gras King on his dad's birthday.
Justin's legacy is just beginning, his family was able to turn their tragedy into triumph all while gaining a new perspective on life.
"I think everyday you just have to think about how lucky we are and how things can change so fast so I live everyday to its fullest, " explains Stopper.The foundation K's for Cancer donates 100 percent of their proceeds to cancer research and helping other family's who are suffering from this deadly disease.For more information or to donate, log onto: www.ksforcancer.org
