Justin Ellis
While on duty, Officer Justin Ellis’s life changed forever when a driver struck him. But even paralysis couldn't keep him from the calling he’d pursued since childhood.
Justin Ellis & His Family
From Service to Survival and Back
As a little boy, Justin Ellis dreamed of serving in law enforcement. His mother took him to local fire and police stations, where the crews let him climb aboard the trucks. He followed that dream to serve nearly twenty years as a police officer.
He Closed His Eyes and Prayed
On October 10, 2016, Justin was responding to a priority call on his motorcycle. While en route, his life changed in a split second.
Justin could only watch as a truck sped towards him. Time seemed to slow down, and there was nothing to do but close his eyes and pray.
The vehicle struck him, sending Justin flying into the windshield before he tumbled onto the pavement.
He Shouldn't Have Lived 24 Hours
His wife, Rachel, rushed to the hospital to find her husband sedated. The doctors said Justin shouldn’t have made it onto the ambulance. He shouldn’t have lived 24 hours.
She remained by his side for weeks. He managed to communicate only once, just long enough to mouth “Happy Birthday” to her.
But Rachel was not alone. Fellow police officers from Justin's department and their community packed the hospital room to show their respect and admiration for him.
From Heartbreak to Hope
When Justin finally came out of sedation two months later, Rachel struggled to tell her husband the devastating news.
He was paralyzed from the waist down.
On that day, rather than allow the tragedy to consume him, Justin focused on the one thing that would give him the strength to move forward: his family.
He set a goal. He would be home with his kids that Christmas. The doctors and hospital staff doubted it, knowing it would be a miracle, but he held firm.
Two days before Christmas, Justin returned home with a police escort.
He Never Gave Up the Badge
Despite his life-altering injuries, Justin was determined to continue pursuing the calling that had inspired him since childhood: serving his community.
“I’m still blessed my Chief thought enough to hold my job for me until I could get through recovery,” Justin told us.
Within the first year, he had returned to the station on light duty, sometimes for only a couple of hours a day, because he missed his fellow officers.
By his second year, he was working full-time as a detective, a role he continues in today.
You Can Help Us Build Justin A Home
Justin has spent more than twenty years serving his community, and we have the privilege of serving him now.
The Gary Sinise Foundation will build Justin and his family a mortgage-free, specially adapted home in Texas, designed around his individual needs. This life-changing home will allow him to participate more fully and independently in his daily life.
