AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) - Every week FOX 54 celebrates kids who are shining bright in our community, doing good for others or providing inspiration for their peers. This week, we introduce you to Justin Howard, Jr., a 4-year-old boy from Augusta who’s had to battle for his life.

Justin’s mother, Sabrina Howard says, “Justin is very energetic very funny he’s a jokester.”

He even joked about his diagnosis when his father, Justin Howard, Sr., shared his reaction on first hearing that news. “I’ve never felt helpless in my life. And this is the one time that I felt absolutely helpless. I couldn’t take away his hurting. I couldn’t take away his fever you know essentially I couldn’t take away the cancer.”

It was Leukemia.

“We were devastated we were bawling crying.”

“You know of course my thought is I’m going to lose my son.”

But the Howards had hope. Justin Jr’s diagnosis has a high rate of survival, so Sabrina says the battle was on. “And he was getting weekly chemo treatments at one point he has intrathecal chemo where they put him to sleep at one point the spinal tap they were doing that like every week for six weeks.”

“They poked him, they poked his finger for the blood, and they do it in his port.”

“It’s a long needle that they stick through his chest into the port.”

His parents say Justin Junior is now stronger and in the final phase of his fight, with remission within reach.

“One thing I’ve learned from this entire experience is how resilient I mean not just Justin but how resilient kids are.”

“He’s a warrior and he is a true champion and nothing can stop him. Whatever it is he wants to do he’s gonna make sure he does it."

If you’d like to learn more about Justin, or support him on his journey, his mother said you can do so on his GoFundMe page.

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