Forever My Little Boy

Hello, I have built this web page in memory of my 13 month old son Justin Davis Festa. He was taken from me on November 1st, 2000 by a piece of string on a Roll up blind set that hung in his brand new bedroom. I have done this to let as many people as I can know that this happens about once a week and it needs to be stopped ... Please tell this to every one you know. You never know when passing something like this on might save a life!!! I was not so lucky. Thinking that I had done the right thing by making sure the outer string was up high out of his way ... but the inner cord as they call it was his fate ... once again the only thing I ask you is please share my story because the blind companies don't seem to care about our kids just their money!!!!

Please take your time looking over this site there is a lot to learn. Thank you for your interest and please sign his Guest Book if you would like.

The Day My World Changed

      As the alarm clock went off I was awaken by my son's father telling me that it was time for me to get ready for work. I got up, walked to the bathroom and began to get ready for my day. It was the first day on my new job. I did the best I could to keep quiet. I could hear Justin playing in his crib making little noises. I wanted so bad to go in and kiss him and his brother good bye before I left for work but there father was now resting in my spot on the sofa, so I didn't disturb them so he could have a bit more quiet time. I took my car keys and headed out the door as I whispered that I loved them all and would see them in only a few hours, and off I went.

     I walked into the store and as I looked up to the clock I realized that I was almost an hour early. So I sat and waited for the woman who was going to train me. When she arrived we started talking about what I would be doing, taking photos of kids and their family's, I was so happy. I thought this will be great and I can bring my boys in on my first day off and get their pictures taken. Up to this point the only ones I had of them where on my digital camera.

     A woman came in to have her little girls’ pictures taken. The woman that was training me looked at me and told me to just look over the book that I would use if I ever needed an answer to something and she wasn't around and if the phone rang to answer it and we would get back to the training when she was done with the lady and her little girl. I said okay that sounded great. I took the book and sat there watching her for a moment then started looking around at all the photos on the walls.

     I started thinking about what it would be like when I brought my boys in if they would be hard to get a picture of or not. The phone rang I walked over to answered just the way I was asked to "Portrait studio how can I help you?" That is the moment everything slowed down almost as if everything was going in slow motion the voice on the other end of the phone said, "You need to come home now something is wrong with Justin." I spent almost 3 years with the man on the other end of the line but at that moment I could have never told you that was his voice. I asked him to repeat himself because I thought maybe he had gotten the wrong number or something.

     Then he addressed me by name and it hit me all at once. I started saying "What ... what is wrong what is going on?" All he would say to me was that I needed to get home now something was wrong, it is really bad Justin was not breathing and the police where there. I guess I was sounding pretty upset because the woman that was training me was right next to me when I hung up the phone. I looked up at her as I went to get my purse and head out the door. I said, "I am sorry I need to go something has happened at my house and it sounds to be very bad." Then the next words I said I had no idea would be so true but as I went to walk out I placed my hand on her shoulder and said, "I am sorry to leave, I really have to go my son might be dead." I walked as fast as I could out of there, got to my van and took off.

     When I pulled up to the house there was yellow crime seen tape all around the house. An officer stood at the bottom of the driveway pointing to the side of the street for me to park there. By this time I had started shaking so much I do not even know how I stopped the van. To tell you the truth, I remember him jumping out of my way as if he thought I was not going to stop. When I stepped out of the van my legs did not want me to stand on them they where shaking so much, he took my hand and brought me over in front of the neighbor's house where my other son and Justin's father was standing. An officer took my arm and another one took my son and started walking us to another car telling me that Justin's father would be with us in a bit. He just had to go talk to them first then they would bring him to the hospital to be with us.

     When we pulled up to the hospital the officer carried my 2 year-old in for me as I followed him. We met up with a few people from the hospital they did not take me to a hospital room or even the emergency room we started walking down a hallway, I looked up and saw a plaque on the wall that said "Family Room ". I knew all to well what those rooms where for and the fact that they where not taking me to my son only made it clearer to me what was going on this was the day my world would change...

     I took me a year before I could let his crib be taken down and even then I could not bring myself to do it. A very dear friend of mine shut the door to the room and took it down. Each day that I live now will forever be changed because of that one day.

     Friends and family have said it all ... "There is a reason that this happened" ... "God does not give you what you cannot handle" ... "It will get easier with time"

     You know what, it doesn't, not really, that day will always be the same ... it will always hurt just as much. When I think about it I still see it just as if it where happening right in the moment, there is nothing that will change it. I do not sit in my room and cry as much as I used to, but I will always look at things differently.

      I hear over and over again how much of a paranoid mother I am ... I know I am and I have to live with that as my life has changed and brought me to a new place. I will end my days every one of them the same before going to my bed checking in on my children to see that they are still breathing, thinking to myself that this is yet another day I have made it through, thanking God that they are still with me.

     Please take the time to learn about the dangers of window blinds and shades with cords while you are here. I have made this site in my son's name to honor him. In the hope that I can reach one other person and give them the knowledge to keep someone they love safe and from having to deal with the tragedy that my family has had to endure.

     Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you find the information on this site helpful.