Justin's Run4Hope

Justin Langford's Memorial Run 4 Hope is a  4 Mile Run/Walk; 1 Mile Walk; ¼ Mile Kid Dash.  The objective of this event is to personally inspire Hope to people through personal relationships, personal giving, fitness, and fun!  Dimensions of Hope include: H ealth, wellness, and physical needs  O rgan donation  P eace through relational and spiritual strength and  E ducation and opportunity.  All proceeds will be donated to the Justin David Langford Memorial Fund and Vanderbilt Scholarship Fund that ensures a perpetual scholarship to encourage students to serve society and improve lives through the pursuit of careers in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related discipline.

Justin's Run4Hope is in memory of our oldest son, Justin.  That alone is a tragic statement.  So, why are we focusing on Giving Hope?

To understand that more deeply, you first have to know Justin.  He was truly an incredible young man and we were immensely blessed to be his parents, brother, future spouse, dear friend, and loved family member.  Justin lived his life looking forward, sharing joy, encouraging others, and genuinely expressing kindness and love to those around him.  As his close friend Jordan Carson shared at Justin's celebration of life:  (Referencing The Holy Bible, the book of Matthew, Chapter 22, Verses 37-40) "It is easy for many of us to understand and to try and live out the greatest commandment of 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  However, the rest of the instruction is where it gets tough and we all fail - 'Love your neighbor as yourself'.  This was Justin and how he lived his life each day for all of us."  While we ache each day due to the pain of separation, we have Hope.  Each day that passes is one day closer to the day that we too will be ushered into God's presence for eternity because of the gift of salvation that is offered to each of us through Jesus Christ.  We will then be reunited with Justin for eternity!  Like usual....he beat us again to the finish line...or perhaps we should say the starting line.  In honor of Justin, we choose to live each day in victory...striving to Give Hope to others.  Each of us suffer in this life.  Our choice is how we respond.  We hope you will join us in celebrating Justin's life and the gift of hope that he shared each day.     

Bryan, Janice, Kyle, and Kelsi

Following is a very brief summary of information regarding Justin that could never do justice to what he means to each of us.  We hope this information will encourage you to Give Hope to others:

Justin David Langford, 23, a 2013 mechanical engineering graduate from Vanderbilt University, died May 17, 2014, as the result of a May 14 traffic accident in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Justin, of Zionsville, Indiana, was driving a flat-bed utility truck during performance calibration activities when the accident occurred.

Justin was a 2009 graduate of Zionsville Community High School.  Justin was active in a variety of community sports as a player and referee, the high school robotics club, and Zionsville Show Choir.  He was an active member of New Hope Christian Church where he actively served in youth programs, mission trips, choirs, the worship praise team, vacation Bible school leadership, and the audio/media tech team.

After graduating from Zionsville Community High School, Justin proudly began his studies at Vanderbilt University.  At Vanderbilt, Justin was a member of Vanderbilt Variations a capella group; the V-Squared mentoring program, the vice-president of the Vanderbilt chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and the Vanderbilt Aerospace Club and team which was recognized as the National Champion and won multiple awards at a NASA rocket contest with their bio-hybrid fueled rocket.  Justin was also a member of a five-student Aerospace Club team to represent the university at the 2013 inaugural SEC University Symposium and Showcase.

Upon graduation from Vanderbilt, Justin began work at Allison Transmission as a calibrations engineer where he had previously interned for 3 summers. In addition, many evenings were spent with his friends in their entrepreneurial business venture, EVC Racing. 

 Justin, first and foremost, loved life and people.  He was an engineer by training and also had many passions: learning, reading, computers, singing, playing the piano & guitar, cooking, and fitness. He was humble, selfless, and always very insistent about helping and encouraging others. He was known for his warm smile and doing his best to make each day better for those around him.  As an organ donor, Justin gave many others the gift of a longer and healthier life.

HopeFest will take place at New Hope Christian Church in Whitestown, Indiana, in conjunction with Justin's Run4Hope.  The objective of this event is to create actionable awareness regarding a variety of practical options that each of us can consider in order to Give Hope to others.  This will include our focus areas of Hope (Health and wellness, Donate Life organ donation, Relational and Spiritual strength, and STEM education) in addition to other opportunities such as adoption and poverty.  These are not additional fund raisers but rather an effort to create awareness and help connect our individual passions with opportunities for Hope.  This promises to be an encouraging and motivating experience.

1 Thessalonians 1:3  "We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."