Life Is Too Short to Harbor Regrets
Football Biography
Date Published: August 7, 2022
Justin Adkins was a star football player in high school with good grades and lots of friends. Then one day he woke up in a hospital in excruciating pain, unable to walk or talk.
This is the autobiography of a teen facing the fight of his life. The inner skills of endurance, toughness, virility, and fearlessness that made Justin an exceptional athlete on the field, set his determination to never give up.
No matter how tormenting life became, Justin’s parents fought right along with their son. Pulling together in this unfamiliar territory, the family explored the options available for a teen with a disability, and the future ahead of him.
The reader will be inspired by this story of true perseverance.
Introduce
yourself and tell me about what you do.
My full name is Justin
Joseph Adkins and those closest to me call me “JJ.” I am currently 40-years-old
and a husband to an amazing woman, Brandy. We have two kids and although they
are not my biological children, I love them with all my heart. I have a
master’s degree in multiple disciplines and currently work for a Fortune 500 company
as a Business Analyst. Most obvious to an average person though is that I am a
individual with a disability, and severe limitations. Having suffered a
traumatic brain injury from an assault, it has taken a great deal of physical and
mental toughness to get to where I am at now. This is why I am proud to share
my story with the world, because I hope to give others inspiration and belief that
it’s not impossible to move beyond undesirable situations.
Tell
me more about your journey as an author, including the writing processes?
My writing journey has been quite tedious due to my
limitations because I am only able to type with one finger, and I literally
move like a “snail,” actually I take that back. A snail might move faster than
me! Therefore, this book took me four years to write but during the process I
did manage to complete a master’s thesis, and finish my educational journey. I
don’t claim to be without imperfections, though, because some may like my
writing style, and others may not. My book is meant to be an easy read, and I
don’t try to glamorize anything. I share my own flaws as well and nothing is
sugarcoated!
Tell
me about your Book
My book is a story of perseverance and it touches on numerous social topics that I have either endured or been involved with such as: drug addiction, homelessness, bullying and violence, consequences of a gang member lifestyle, family and friendships, relationships and love, Christian faith, disabilities and so on!
Any
message for our readers
This book is a must read as you will laugh, cry, and
cheer! Not only will it bring out a whirlpool of emotions, but it also proves
that nobody is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes or bad choices! The most
important thing is that you pick yourself up and try to do your best to make the
most out of a bad situation. NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Story
Back
at my grandfather’s home, Mom and I pretty much stayed out of his way. We knew it would not be forever before Dad
returned from jail.
When
Grandfather fell asleep on the sofa watching whatever the channel produced,
having finished off a bottle of his favorite remedy, my mom and I were
relieved. It signaled another day was
behind us. Besides, this was about the
time that my dad usually called. He was
good about checking on us and seeing how everything was going in Ohio.
My
parents were emotionally supportive of one another. This night, my mom pulled the landline phone
into the closest bedroom the tethered cord would reach for privacy. I followed hoping to speak to my dad a few
minutes after my parents finished speaking.
Mom
and I sat on the edge of the bed with our heads pressed together against the
phone’s receiver. Hearing his muffled
voice made my chest swell with emotion.
Usually,
my mom would sugarcoat things when speaking with my father in order not to
cause him concern. On this occasion, though, she vented her feelings about how
much we missed California.
Right
away, Dad began cooing to soothe Mom before the tears began to flow. I wrapped an arm around her just as I had
seen him do many times before. We
huddled together as Mom recited her list of disappointments. She could no longer bear all to the
background of Dad’s soft murmurs of love and encouragement. One huge tear rolled down my cheek. Although I had lived through everything with
her, she had put on a brave face and cooed to me at the time. I had not suspected how deeply events
affected her.
Behind
my dad in the corridor, other inmates were jostling and complaining that they
needed to use the phone. He ignored the
line behind him as long as he could.
“Jana,
I have an idea of how to get you guys back to California. Don’t worry.
I’ll call Sam.” Dad was roughly shoved against the concrete brick wall
by an impatient guy in line. He
recovered smoothly then shouted to the receiver removed from his hand as
someone hung it up. “I love you,
Jana. Tell Justin I love—”
About the Author
Justin Joseph Adkins is a husband, father, master of multiple disciplines, and now a proud author! All these accomplishments may have not been possible without his never give up attitude, and optimistic approach towards life. Having suffered a life changing injury, which left him unable to walk or talk, he defied insurmountable odds in pursuit of happiness. Thanking the Lord first and above all others for his success!
Contact Links
Purchase Link
Posts
No comments: