This is Me and How I got Here

My name is Justin Harvey John Ashby, I was born in Iowa City, IA at 0608 on August 12th 1981. I was nearly a month premature. I spent many days in an incubator. My mother was a heavily complicated Diabetic so I am a true miracle.

My mother was a drug addict and she couldnt stay in one place for too long. I moved a whole bunch early in life not really able to set down any real roots.

My great grandmother Ruth and her daughter Geraldine helped raise me after my mother had no choice to surrender custody. They live in Sant Monica, CA.

I think I was around 8 or 9 years old when I was sent back to my mother in Washington.

I went to school. I made a few friends. However I never really fit "in". Kids bullied me because I was small for my age. This lasted a few years.

Meanwhile my mother got into harder drugs and even harder people. Big, badass, biker dudes. My mother referred to them as my "Uncles" and they were extremely abusive. After more times than I can count, I tried, at my own peril to protect my mother. Usually they redirected and came after me so she could find safety. Eventually I couldn't stand it anymore so I left home.

I was 12 when I first became a street kid. Not the pretend kond either. I lived outside with the elements. Just me and my willingness to survive. I learned how to do what is needed to make it. Sometimes the chill of the night would stay with me until well into the next day.

When I was 15 I found my mother dead in the bathroom from an overdose. My uncle Dan, my aunt Johnna, and my aunt Beth came to take care of her stuff and take me away to California.

I was so scared and alone I turned back to the streets. A place I had known for quite a while. I dont know why I ran from a loving home. I was emotionally disturbed and unruly. My grandmother couldn't handle me anymore and sent me to Iowa to live with Dan.

I ran away and the State of Iowa took custody of me. I left there too. I went back to Venice, CA and got a job working for Mr. Singh, he owned all the pizza shops. I held a sign for him from open to close everyday. Slept in the door ways of the boardwalk. Eventually I made it back to Washington.

I met this girl and we had a kid. My son was born September, 7th 2014.

That is where I am still to this day.

(some of this content isn't suitable for some readers so I left it out)

I am no Hemmingway but here I am still fighting the good fight. I am proof you should never give up. Nike said it best, "Just Do It." 

Thank you, dear reader, an ear to my voice, for your precious time.

@justinashby