The McWilliams Family Introduction...

Welcome to the Justin McWilliams, Justice For Justin, website! My name is Jamie McWilliams. This website has been created in honor of my oldest child and only son, Justin Matthew McWilliams.  Justin was tragically killed on April 7, 2002 as he was leaving a party in a pasture in Winter Garden, FL (just northwest of Orlando). He left behind his dad and best friend, Mark and his little sister, Ashley, who, ironically, was born the same day as her brother (January 26, 1982 and 1987, respectively), five years apart. Justin also left behind grandparents, aunts and uncles and hundreds of friends and their families, who love and miss him tremendously.

Many people have asked us "how we do it"? How do you go on after you lose a child? It isn't natural. The outpouring of love and support that we have received and continue to receive from our family and friends, and even strangers who have followed our story, has been overwhelming. We feel God granted us a magnificent blessing in sharing Justin with us for twenty (20) amazing years.  We simply live for the wonderful memories that he placed in our hearts.

As a family, we made the conscious decision to tell Justin's story in an effort to spare another family of the pain and devastation that we have experienced. We chose to do exactly as  Justin would expect us to do. Right the wrong done to him. Our justice system let him down. Our justice system let those that loved him down. Hence, we moved forward in our endeavor, via Legislative intent, to close the "loophole" in the Florida Statutes  that allowed the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed Justin to escape any type of accountability in his death.

After 2-years of appearing and testifying  before numerous committees in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate, the Justin McWilliams Act became effective on October 1, 2006.  The genesis of the Justin McWilliams Act requires the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash occurring on public or private property, that results in injury or death, to immediately stop the vehicle and remain at the scene until emergency vehicles arrive.  It further increases the penalty to a first degree felony for leaving the scene of an accident with death, up to 30-years in prison and a $10,000. fine.

In addition, we feel it is imperative to tell this story in an effort that kids stop and think before they move forward with the choices they make. Whether it is irresponsibly drinking alcohol, taking drugs, having sex, hanging out with the wrong people or even operating a motor vehicle, they need to think. There is ultimately a consequence to pay. Most kids think that it can never happen to them. However, I can assure you that Justin McWilliams would never have imagined losing his life while running from a vehicle in the dark of the night.

And on a final note, at the tender age of twenty (20), Justin was a proud organ donor. Unfortunately, due to the seriousness of his internal injuries, we were unable to donate any of his major  organs.  However, without hesitation, our family agreed to donate his corneas as well as his bone, skin and tissue, in an effort to help those in need.   This is what Justin would want and we knew it.  As part of our updated 2-fold Mission Statement, we hope to increase awareness of  organ, tissue and corneal donation and encourage informed decision making on donating the gift of life. 

About Justin

Justin McWilliams was born January 26, 1982 in Orlando, Orange County, Florida. Justin grew up in Ocoee (just Northwest of Orlando), Florida. He attended Clarcona Elementary, Ocoee Middle School and West Orange High School. He was a starting Catcher for the West Orange High School Baseball team, a graduate of the Class of 2000.  Justin played Little League, Junior League and Big League Baseball until he was 19-years old. He was a member of the 1999 Big League World Series Championship Team. Justin always had a smile on his face and and a sincere love of people.  He never knew a stranger!

Our not-so-necessarily-perfect son was twenty (20) years old when he was so tragically taken from his family and friends. Almost 700-people were in attendance at his funeral in his beloved hometown of Ocoee, Florida. The pain of losing our wonderful son and brother is almost too much to bear at times. However, Justin was about living and loving life. Even though he is no longer physically with us, Justin continues to give to others. With the donation of his corneas, he has provided sight to 2-individuals and was able to help up to 65-people through his bone, skin and tissue donation. The monetary donations made in his memory to the West Orange High School Baseball Program totaled more than $2,700.00. Donations of over $1,000.00 to the Ocoee Little League made in his name went to help register kids for Little League who were less fortunate then he.  Additionally, trees have been planted and continue to grow in the Yellowstone National Park in his memory; The Justin McWilliams Award is given each year to the Senior baseball player who strives to do the best for the team, showing full team loyalty for the "Orange and Blue" at West Orange High School and a Star shines in his memory in the Constellation of Taurus. The over 5000-plus emails that I have sent and received in the years since Justin's death, speak volumes of the loyal, funny, giving and good-hearted person that Justin was and continues to be in spirit. We love him. We miss him. We are grateful to God to have had this blessed child for those twenty (20) wonderful years.