Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Douglas.
Justin Douglas Jr. (Ironman) is a special needs seven-year-old African American boy who was born five months early with no chance at life, let alone a fighting life! He was born prematurely, not breathing due to collapsing of his lungs and not being fully developed and was resuscitated just moments after birth and placed in the ICU at USA children’s and Women’s hospital in Mobile, Al for five months with several monitors and machines but with the help of such a strong team Justin met his milestone of breathing of his own and doing push-ups in his incubator bed and his nurse decided to name him (Ironman) because he was so strong to be a 2 lb baby boy. That name definitely sticks because he’s a hero, a fighter, strong and mighty.
Justin was then diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism and other developmental delays but he comes from a strong background of I CAN! So there was no doubt in his mind that he couldn’t! Justin tried everything the normal generic way but most of the time, it didn’t work out. So Justin’s family has always supported him doing it the way he knew how, even if it was very different. As a young mother, it’s hurtful being told that your “son will be mentally retarded and to get used to it”? he has no chance at life throw a helmet on his head and get him a wheelchair because that’ll be his image for the rest of his life, is what the doctor said!” but coming from a praying family I his mother “Cynterrya Burnett” wasn’t taking mental retardation as an option, so I fought I cried out for help and met an awesome lady name Sheree Patrick, social worker in Mobile, Al who worked at Alabama Rehabilitation Services, she helped me get every resource needed to get my son where he is today she was literally heaven-sent. Justin was a weak boy but Justin has strong aunts who work in the school system who are trained to work with special needs kids (Shannon and Courtney Burnett), so giving up wasn’t and option. They were going to work him down and build him up as strong as a robot in due time. But due time led Justin back to square one.
After a second opinion again we find out Justin will not have a voice, Justin will not be able to speak or walk “I’m sorry Mrs. Burnett but you should give up hope and face the fact that he’s retarded he has no chance at life”. is what the doctor said. So Justin had begun to use a wheelchair because of his Cerebral Palsy and weakened bones and he will have no physical abilities and was told he would never walk, but after research and resources and direction, we found out about a Physical Therapist by the name Cheryl Thames in Mobile, Al she looked at him and said we can work with him but it’ll take a lot of work and consistency I agreed on her and her team at Pediatric Physical Therapy made it happen, so over the years, Justin went from not sitting to sitting not standing to standing not crawling to walking it took almost three years, but it was an accomplishment to Clinic, himself and other families that it can be done and it was done, never not believe in GOD and miracles. Justin then ran the marathon into another issue with memory loss and fighting so many delays which were later found through Ct-scans… after visit Justin Head circumference grew but never did his body, so he was told to wear a helmet because of his head and it was weighing down his body cause him to fall a lot and bruise himself and potentially break bones. Doctors agreed Yes, mommy agreed no because she’s a firm believer in God and his grandmothers (Cynthia Hollins & Deloris Douglas) are prayer warriors.
No one never gave up on Justin, Justin never gave up on himself. Sometimes we forget his name is Justin because Ironman fits better because of how strong he is… all Justin life, it was a problem after problem milestone after milestone five years of Justin’s life he was in and out of the hospital traveling back and forth from Birmingham back home for extra answers only to find out new things wrong, having surgeries and more. But Ironman always had the energy of a hero who never stopped fighting no matter how young he was and never stopped smiling and those same doctors who had give up hope said, “this little boy just won’t stop fighting let us see what we can do now.’ We knew Justin had a purpose we didn’t know what but GOD did he always knew he would be here today even when the doctors doubted it, GOD said otherwise. So for a moment this moment we should take our eyes off what we can’t do in the world and put our eyes on our kids who’ve made do in this world kids like Justin who’ve recently just released a coloring book filled with images of kids with special needs who beats the odds of you’re not able, or you cant do it. As well as written a book for kids and about kids who have special needs isn’t that History? black history? Isn’t that beating the odds? Justin is beyond excited and plans to continue to write books for all Kids.
Justin just recently reached out to an awesome program in Alabama called the Bridge Program who help families with kids that are ill and offered to donate all his first proceeds to the company. Justin’s plans are to work with other non-profit organizations and one day maybe open up a fun center for special needs kids in Florida (his favorite place) is his goal. But no matter what Justin is always ready to tell his story as he should because of the motivation and inspiration from all the help throughout his life. Justin wanted to shine his light on parents with special needs kids and children who’ve have fought to make a way to survive in this world full of hate because they do things differently and not the same way as kids without special needs. Justin and his aunt Courtney Burnett came up with his famous quote: Disability doesn’t mean you cant do it, it just means you have to do it in a special kind of way. Lets refresh on beating the odds and to always fight no matter what. The doctors telling his family he’s mentally retarded and wouldn’t make it and to give up hope Isn’t that beating the odds? A little boy who loves to help people like him to reach out an extra hand to help, isn’t that unity? A little boy who doesn’t see color and loves everyone beyond their disabilities, isn’t that defeating racism? Justin is beyond excited and is ready to tell his story over and over again as he should, especially when he was told he had no chance at life fought for his life for five years and now he’s written a book for kids like him and others… Justin is now an author and he wants to be a firefighter, a policeman, and a famous rich man he says… Justin prays his story reaches millions.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Justin has run into many obstacles throughout his life, feeding tube, speechless, not being able to walk on his own using walkers and wheelchairs to make it through but the most challenge of all is being bullied because he looks the same but speaks, different he walks different and wears braces he smiles different but he smiles and explaining to kids without disabilities that although Justin has a disability doesn’t mean you can’t be nice and you cant play fair just help Justin play the way it works for him. another huge obstacle is being strong enough to never have to be weak enough to do another life journey in the hospital missing out on being a kid. but Justin sister (Justis Douglas 8) always tell him he can do it and he will do it, so anytime there’s an obstacle she’s always rooting from the sideline, yelling go because he is capable of anything.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Justin and His sister Justis Douglas are the owners of J and J Goodies, a lemonade and hotdog stand located in Prichard, Alabama best known for their famous lemonade and that great secret sauce on those hotdogs… Justin is most proud to be a boss his own boss and to show everybody who said he couldn’t and wouldn’t that he did and always will and the most magical thing that sets Justin apart from any and everyone is that he uses his strengths to help others that’s struggling with their weakness and his goals in life of being an officer and fire-fighter is what most definitely sets him apart because even though he’s considered special he’s still paving the way to be great and that’s what sets him apart he never let his dependents keep him from being independent.
He just released a book called being black and broken on June 19tj called being black and broken broken is what they said it’s about police Brutality and it list many victims who were involved starting with Rodney and also George Floyd he’s also incorporated maya Angelou still I rise in there the book is on Amazon and other websites and he’s determined to get the book out to families I’d the victims and to educate kids and adults on what’s going on in the world today
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Justin’s favorite books is his own book its called Disabilities and Beyond, his favorites music artist are Rod wave (rags to riches), Mgm Lett (100 dollar line up) Boosie, Yung Bleu, John Mayer and most of all Tamala Mann. Let’s not forget he loves YouTube and Cj so cool… His sister (Justis Douglas) is who help him do his best at everything even though she’s only one year old, she’s like his extra mommy in little people form she doesn’t miss a beep when it comes down to Justin. favorite website is his own Dis-Is-Able.com.
Pricing:
- 10$ Coloring Books Dis-Is-Able
- 10$ Reading Books Disabilities and Beyond
- 25$ Quoted Shirts All sizes Kids To adults
Contact Info:
- Email: Disisable.able@gmail.com
- Website: Dis-Is-Able.com
- Instagram: Dis_is_ablee
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Disissable/
- Other: www.pintrest.com/Disisable
