Special People
Justin Scott
July 1999
Children’s Miracle Network
Justin Scott is 12 years old. A lively, energetic young man with a smile that warms your heart. He likes swimming, music, riding horses, playing on the computer and being with his friends. And, like many 12-year olds, he loves sports! But, unlike many 12-year olds, Justin is disabled.
Justin’s birth mother
drank during her pregnancy---a lot! Justin was born at
26 weeks gestation weighing approximately 2-lbs. 2 oz. His blood
alcohol level at birth was .267--over twice the legal limit and
it took him 4 days to "dry out." Justin’s long
term exposure to alcohol before he was born, as well as a brain
bleed at 2 weeks of age and the high levels of oxygen needed to
keep him alive lead to the long list of disabilities he will deal
with for the rest of his life.
Justin’s diagnoses include Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Dual Sensory Impairment, Seizure Disorder and Mental Retardation. He wears glasses, hearing aids, an oral application to help him develop more speech and he communicates with his hands using American Sign Language. He gets around in his community with crutches or his wheelchair. But, Justin is much more than the list of disorders that appears on his medical and school records. He is a loving, friendly, compassionate and caring young man who enjoys everything in life!
Justin lives in Anchorage with his parents Allan and Cheri Scott, his cat Motorcycle and his goldfish ‘Big Fish’. He has a brother Dan (age 21); a sister HeatherAmy (age 26) and a 1-year old niece named Rosebud. Last school year Justin was in the 6th grade at Huffman Elementary, splitting his time between homeroom and resource room. Next year he will be in 7th grade at Goldenview Middle School, again splitting his time between regular and resource classes. Justin’s favorite foods are chocolate milk, oatmeal, yogurt and, of course, macaroni and cheese!
This spring Justin was selected as the 1999 Alaska Champion for the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), a national program advocating for children across the country with special health care needs. Justin is the first Alaskan Native to receive this honor and recently represented Alaska at national ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and Orlando, Florida.
On May 31, Justin, his parents and his brother Dan traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the Children’s Miracle Network telethon "kick-off" and celebrations. CMN "Champions" from across the United States met for interviews, ceremonies, banquets and meeting First Lady Hillary Clinton at the White House. Each "Champion" received a bronze medallion on a red, white and blue ribbon, signifying they were a CMN Champion. Other celebrities who joined in the festivities included Donny and Marie Osmond, Drew Bledsoe of the New England patriots and Socks, the "First Cat." While in Washington, D.C. Justin and his family went to Senator Ted Stevens office and met with one of the Senator’s aides, providing information about fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol-related birth defects, and information about FASD activities, challenges and progress being made in Alaska. Other activities included a visit to the Museum of Natural History (Justin really liked the dinosaurs), visits with an aunt and uncle and lots of time in the hotel swimming pool—to combat the heat and humidity!
On June 4 the group traveled to Orlando, Florida and Walt Disney World! Justin had great fun at Disney World meeting Sheriff Woody (from the Toy Story), Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Grumpy. Justin also met Warren Moon, ex-quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks—Justin’s favorite football team! Warren Moon was just one of many celebrities who played in a CMN Celebrity Basketball game! Justin’s favorites activities were the water parks, the Mulan Parade, the Electric Light Parade (3 times!) and having dinner with all the Disney characters in the Magic Kingdome. During one of the parades Grumpy let Justin hold his bucket of glittering, blinking jewels. He was so enchanted with the blinking lights he didn’t want to give the bucket back. So, he and Grumpy had a bit of a tug of war, with Justin finally giving the bucket back and Grumpy giving him a hug of thanks!
The trip was a wonderful opportunity for Justin and his family and all the other families who participated in the CMN celebrations! It was a combination of fun, education, awareness and recognition for the disabilities that so many of our children and adults face throughout their lives. Congratulations to Justin Scott for being selected to represent the disabled community of Alaska and helping to educate people about the seriousness of prenatal exposure to alcohol and the life-long disabilities caused by drinking during pregnancy.
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