Wednesday, December 7th, 1983

     I'm not going to pretend to remember the exact day this new bouncing baby bundle of joy decided to show up in my home in south Texas, but I do know what day it started, so let us just start from the beginning.

       For those of you who don't know, my little brother, Justin Brady Holden, is the only true Texan in my family.  He was born at St. Joseph's Hospital in downtown Houston on Wednesday December 7th, 1983, which is hard for me to say because I've been telling him we adopted him from the Frog-Faces since about that same time.
Image result for frog face
Justin's "Real" Family




    From 1983 until 1984 we resided in the BEST state in the World, TEXAS, then moved back to the midwest, Alton, Illinois, where we both slowly died a little every day for a great sum of years.  Justin and I grew up in a modest home, if you can envision putting 10 lbs of shit into a 5 lbs bag (Us being the shit), but it was the family dynamic that made it so great, here's a little of our story.

   Alton, IL.  The home of all things obscure, Lincoln / Douglas Square and great debate between the soon to be 16th President of the United States and a midget?

The Piasa bird, a mythological deer, tiger, dragon, eagle combination and consumer of tacos from the bluffs of the Mighty Mississippi, or was it?


Robert Wadlow, the tallest man that ever was, What up Bobby? 
Image result for robert wadlow stats

The town was riddled with industry, steel mills, food manufacturing plants, Budweiser, oh the Budweiser and more bars than a drunkard could shake a bottle at.

      Justin had a pretty normal upbringing, a myriad of family functions, diverse education, friends from all walks of life, but showed a great enthusiasm for outdoor activities.  He excelled in skating, both figure and boarding, bmx, and an all around questioning of authority.  Like everyone else we walked the streets until the street lights came on and then pressed as far as we could for a little more time.  Everything was a competition between us, who could spit the furthest, fastest runner, WWE from the top rope in every room in the house, normal brother activities. 
 



For the majority of pf our lives we did everything together.  At times it was almost like I had a smaller, shorter, frog-faced shadow which continued almost through high-school.


     I won't bore you with all the elementary details, but the just is........ being 2 years older, we went to the same elementary school, middle school, high-schools; me just 2 years ahead, I got to witness almost all of his first days in a new place, which worked really well for me, and although he may not admit it, I think him as well.  The group I ran around with, and who Justin grew up with, were responsible for his daily punishment, the metaphorical thorn in his side, the rock in his trucks, the hammer of justice to his injustices, also the protector of all who would speak poorly about him or to him.  MY brother, MY people, I can pick on him, YOU can NOT.  On more than one occasion Justin could work himself into an argument, and on more than one occasion myself or someone who had held him down and fed him grass in our backyard would come to his aid, not that he needed it.  If having a monster for a brother and full support of his older bigger friends won't teach you to have no fear and defend yourself, nothing would. 

Image result for alton high school

     What am I rambling about, our time together was as expected for 2 teen boys, our paths crossed often in similar circles and in the fact that we lived together and could find any reason to beat on each other through mob mentality.  

     The day came, I was out of this town, June 9th 1999, four days post high-school graduation, off to college in the great state of TEXAS I went, only thinking about my future, and anxious about what I'd become, like a terror I was never going back to the small town mentality and I was on my way to spread my wings right into medical manufacturing management, you know, the things kids dream about quickly to realize I had lost my shadow.  

But I digress.  This is a tribute page to MY BROTHER.  We are together again at last and have been for Years.  The shadow he is not anymore.  He has taught me as much as I have ever taught him and I'm a better person for it. 

Justin is a devoted Family Man.  He'd give you the shirt off his back and bike purse off his shoulder if you needed it.   








He is devoted to his family so strongly he'll fight for, with even against you.  
He is a devoted  Husband, Brother, Brother-In-Law, Dog-Dad, Friend and Family Member.














He is a passionate Consumer of Libations and good foods



He's a dedicated Hobbiest









Justin, 

This is my dedication to YOU.  

May your front wheels forever pop and your rear wheels spin
May your burnt ends be crispy and main meat not
May your beers be forever frosty and whiskey straight up
May you always remember you have a stead-fast Friend in Me

Your Brother
    -Josh








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