Justin Richard Ho

Justin Ho was born on June 18, 1996 in Burlington in the Green Mountain State, and moved shortly after his birth to the capital of the Lone Star State. For a young boy with a lot of energy, Texas, with its endless land, warm weather and clear blue skies was an ideal place to grow up. However, at an early age, both Justin and his older brother, Bryan were diagnosed with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, a disease which would rob them of their mobility. Although his parents, Stanley and Grace, knew that the disease would most likely claim the lives of their two sons at an early age, they would not let it dictate how the boys would live their lives.

The Hos were avid travelers and were constantly finding new venues to explore. Justin, like his brother, were foodies and their travels opened them up to various cuisines and restaurants throughout the United States. As the disease started to affect their muscles, the parents did not let it affect their travel schedule. Justin visited as far north and west as the State of Alaska, and as far south and east as the State of Florida. He was always open to trying any cuisine, but had a firm stance against vegetables. His favorite food was salmon sashimi, which he could consume copious quantities.

In 2010, Justin was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, where the doctors gave him only a few months to live. This was devastating news for the family. Although Justin had muscular dystrophy, the disease had not progressed to a critical stage in Justin’s life. This new heart affliction could take the few remaining years which he had. However, undeterred, the Ho's refused to accept this death sentence, and in the summer of the same year, they set out to visit California on a road trip, that would take them along the coast. Since that time, Justin had visited Hawaii twice (once for the Pro Bowl where he would meet his favorite football player, Peyton Manning), California twice, New York twice as well as Florida, Alaska, Utah, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico.

Justin was aware that his heart was very weak, and would not heal. He knew that any heavy and continuous exertion might strain his heart so that it would stop. In fact, he knew that he could die at any time and in a moment’s notice. He faced his mortality every single day for the rest of his life, and constantly thought about it. He did not want to die, and he would do whatever it took to live as long as he could. He retreated into himself, and conserved his energy so that his heart could continue to function. Justin’s heart would take many tribulations after 2010, including the death of his beloved older brother, Bryan in 2012. Even though Justin maintained an almost stoic demeanor through this tragedy and at Bryan’s funeral, he was devastated at the loss of his constant companion, brother and friend. He lived past every medical calculation as to his life expectancy, and up to the moment of his death, he continued to confound his doctors.

However, Justin’s legacy will not be just his heroic fight to live, but more importantly his capacity to love. He was very close to everyone in his family, but especially with his mother, Grace. He saved his words for her, expressing to her his fears and hopes, but also his love for her and for his father. As he entered Dell’s Children Hospital in Austin, this past December, never to emerge, he took the time to tell his parents that he loved them. He and his parents were especially grateful that his grandmother, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends came down to visit him in the hospital and spend Christmas Week with him. It was being surrounded with all of their love that gave his exhausted and overworked heart the miraculous boost it needed on Christmas Day during a particularly crucial point when his blood pressure reached a dangerously low level.

Throughout his ordeal in the Intensive Care Unit, his thoughts were with his parents. Justin would throughout his stay at the hospital regularly ask his mother for hugs. In his final moments, with his parents by his side, he told them that he had struggled the last month to live for them, but he was now too tired and his heart was too weak.

Justin’s story is one of love, a quiet, enduring and true love. His parents gave him everything they could, and in return, he gave them his most valuable possession: his heart.