Spotlight Story— Justin Wells

Justin at DSI’s art room following our interview.

Meet Justin— Self-Advocate, Motivator, WWE Superfan, & Artist

Justin is a remarkable man who lives in Columbus and attends day programs at Developmental Services, Inc. (DSI). He has many interests and is one of the most goal-orientated individuals that we have had the pleasure of speaking with and getting to know.

Justin is a passionate self-advocate and works hard to help individuals with disabilities to stand up for themselves and be advocates for what they need, want, and deserve. He attends DSI’s self-advocacy classes every Wednesday which have become a very important part of his life and given him the knowledge and confidence to address serious issues that the disability community faces, both in-person with others and in his podcast.

One of Justin’s biggest passions is professional wrestling, specifically WWE. His favorite wrestler since he was 8-years-old is Dwayne The Rock Johnson, who he expressed to be as his hero. He is inspired by The Rock’s strength and resilience and finds him to be a positive role model. Justin also likes Jordynne Grace, a professional female wrestler. Justin loves anything to do with WWE and loves to talk about it when given the chance! He has been to several live wrestling events and hopes to have the opportunity to attend more.

Justin also loves NASCAR racing. His favorite race car drivers are Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt.

Justin values taking care of himself, both physically and mentally. He explained that he often meditates when struggling or even just to start his day, which has made a positive difference in his life. He also enjoys exercise.

Justin’s Goals and Ambitions

Justin has many goals, dreams, and ambitions that he is determined to accomplish in his lifetime. During our interview, Justin expressed:

“Chasing after your dreams is not a privilege, it’s a right— it’s a human right. We all deserve to live that right”.

• Self-Advocacy/Motivator

  Justin feels strongly about his ability and mission to motivate and encourage others. He believes that it is his responsibility to pick people up when they are down, especially when they want to give up on their dreams. Justin strongly believes that everyone, no matter who they are or what they have experienced, deserves the opportunity to follow their dreams and achieve their goals.

  During our interview, Justin shared many bits of the advice he offers to others, including this bit of wisdom:

“No matter how much you fail or you are knocked down or are told that you can’t do it. If you fall down, get back up again and keep going. Don’t ever quit, never give up, don’t give in to negative thoughts, or manipulative or toxic behavior. If you think that you are being manipulated, don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself because it’s very important.”

• Wrestling

  Justin was able to wrestle in a downtown wrestling match called “Downtown Throwdown 3” in 2017. Two of his idols, Ricky Ruckus and Donny Idol, helped Justin practice wrestling moves and attended his match. While Justin is very thankful to have had that experience, he is hungry for more opportunities to follow his passion for wrestling and grow in his skills. Justin mentioned that he has been discouraged from searching for more wrestling opportunities, as someone told him that the downtown match would be the only match he would get to participate in. He strongly wishes that there were more programs in Columbus that allowed for individuals to learn and practice wrestling skills and allow them to compete.

  Although he has been unable to wrestle in any events since the Downtown Throwdown 3, Justin has clung to his goal to compete on a professional level and will not give up on this dream, no matter who tells him it is impossible or unlikely. Justin explained:

“The match downtown will not be my last one. I will be back, and I’m going for a championship. I’m planning on making my return, to continue to live my dreams. I am Rocky Jr., I am the Lion King, the Son of Mufasa. This is my destiny.”

• Legacy

  Justin told us that his second biggest goal, after become a professional wrestler, is to leave a significant legacy. He dreams of having a statue built of him in front of DSI to honor his works in self-advocacy and motivating others, as well as his other dreams such as becoming a wrestling champion. He dreams of movies and documentaries being made in his honor, highlighting his life’s accomplishments. Ultimately, Justin wants to be remembered for never giving up on his dreams and for accomplishing things that others told him he would never achieve. He has a fighting spirit and the drive to prove naysayers wrong, which is encouraging in itself.

Justin’s Podcast: Justin Wells in His Own Words

If you are a fan of podcasts and want to learn more about disability-related topics and issues from an individual who can offer a first-hand perspective, you have to check out Justin’s podcast “Justin Wells in His Own Words”! Justin started his podcast in the Spring of 2022. He explained that his role as a leader in self-advocacy at DSI inspired him to start the podcast as he wanted to get his messages of empowerment out to those who needed to hear them.

Justin has learned a lot while making his podcast, especially the importance of positive self-talk. He has learned how positive self-talk helps to keep one on track and motivate them to continue in their ambitions, as well as how harmful negative self-talk can be. Justin has also learned a lot about the strong influence that negative and toxic people can have on one’s mental health, such as manipulation and gaslighting. He has found that individuals with disabilities are often the target of manipulation and toxic behavior from others, which he combats and speaks against in his podcast.

As of now, Justin’s podcast is only on Spotify, but he hopes to grow it soon. He has many plans for his podcast and already knows what topics he wants to address next, but didn’t want to share them with us so they wouldn’t be spoiled for his listeners.

It is free to listen to Justin’s podcast and he would love your support! The further his podcast reaches, the more his legacy grows and his positive impact can reach.

To listen to Justin’s podcast, click here.

Messages to Others:

• Justin’s message to individuals with disabilities: Justin feels strongly that individuals with disabilities should know that they have a right to gain independence and create the life that they want and deserve. When asked what he would advice to other self-advocates, Justin stated:

“Life is hard, life is rough. We get bullied, especially people with disabilities. We get teased, we get manipulated, we get told we can’t do it. Tons and tons of people with disabilities are told that they can’t do it, they’re being shut down from jobs and denied their independence. Just because you have autism or Down syndrome doesn’t mean you can’t be independent. If someone tells you that you can’t do can’t live the life you want, they’re wrong. Everyone has a chance to live their own life.”

• Justin’s message to members of our community: When asked what people in Columbus could do to help individuals with disabilities reach their goals and have the life they deserve, he explained that more opportunities are very important and needed in our town. Justin thinks that opportunities in employment, education, accessible sports programs, and music programs would be a good start in bettering the lives of individuals with disabilities. When explaining how we can do better in our community, Justin explained that every person, with or without a disability, deserves to live the life that they want and must have opportunities to do so.

Justin’s Artwork:

Justin is also very interested and passionate about artwork. While he likes experimenting with different types of art, he mostly enjoys creating 2D artwork, such as drawings and paintings. He explained that he enjoys drawing people and vehicles, such as ocean liners and cars. He also expressed that art helps him to foster his imagination and is a positive outlet for his mental health.