Justin has had stomach problems since he was a child. At that time crohns disease was not heard of and after tests nothing was ever found wrong other than reflux. Through his teens Justin remained healthy and seemed to over come his stomach problems as a child. In 2011 Justin was hired as an apprentice sheet metal mechanic at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. During this time Justin was in fair health working hard usually six days a week trying to succeed it the shipyard. Justin's goal was to make his family proud, especially is grandpa. During this time Justin was working hard to take care and financially support his mother, as well as his brother who  suffered from autism. Justin had a lot on his shoulders, but pushed through it all graduating 6 months early from his apprenticeship as well as valedictorian in 2015.

Later in 2015 Justin got sick and was diagnosed with crohn's disease. It appeared weekly shots of medication had the disease under control. In April of 2016 Justin had his yearly colonoscopy checkup and the results were fine. Four months later on a Friday in August Justin began to suffer severe abdominal pain at work.  Later that evening after work he was taken to the ER and admitted for what was believed to be a crohn's flare up. After a few days in the hospital it was discovered that he had a perforated bowel that required emergency surgery. The surgery resulted in a large portion of his small bowel to be removed resulting in a ileostomy.  After the surgery his fight did not end there.  After days of his bowel emptying into his abdomen he became septic. He had Fluid build up in his lung as well as a punctured lung. Justin ended up coding three times, but never gave up the fight. Two and a half months later and a month a head of schedule he walked/rolled out the hospital.  He remained on bed rest due to a large opening in the center of his stomach as a result of the surgery. Overtime the four inch wide by four inch long wound healed and resealed  his stomach. In January of 2017 four and a half months after surgery Justin returned to work.  Now another battle for Justin began trying to live with an ileostomy, severe crohn's disease and complications from surgery and new illnesses. It was a endless battle of monthly infusions, medication changes, pain management, diagnostic testing, doctor and hospital visits.


Crohns disease is incurable and at most only 40-50% achieve remission.  Justin continues to fight daily, struggling to make work. All while suffering from severe crohn's, chronic pain, severe depression, anxiety and fatigue. Justin continuously has new illnesses arise such as a newly diagnosed liver problem. A mass developed on his kidney that requires monitoring. In the last year, sinus tracts have developed in his lower abdomen, along with increasing adhesions from surgery causing extreme pain and cramping. Due to his ileostomy the colon connected to his rectum is now separated from his remaining bowel. No nutrients from food and fluids reach the separated colon , so the remaining colon is now frail and thin. Due to this Justin has to take multiple enemas weekly to keep that remaing colon from dying off. He endures constant nausea and vomiting that results in days with eating little to nothing. Yearly hospital visits for fluids and treatment of flareups. Justin has frequent specialist visits, scans and MRI's to monitor crohns and pain management.

Please help Justin keep up the fight with the daily struggles of life, missing work and medical/perscription bill's as well ileostomy supplies. Sadly insurance only covers so much of the large amount of medication, infusions, preventive care, diagnostic testing and specialist visits. There is also the possibility of an ileostomy reversal Justin hopes to one day beable to take the time off and afford.  After meeting with top doctors in the area, Justin has found a specialist that can perform the reversal, but surgery and recovery, can not be afforded currently. On top of everything else Justin has a weaken immune system and takes an immunosuppressant for crohns making him high risk for covid 19. With so much on his shoulders Justin now suffers from severe depression and anxiety making every day that much more difficult. The once lively, kind, caring and charismatic individual we all loved to know and be around is struggling to make it day to day. Any support would be appreciated to help Justin keep up the fight during his most trying times. Thank you to everyone who has helped Justin through his struggles and all your continued support.

Justin's mother,
Brenda Henson