Austin David Bell was born to Lisa and David Bell on December 7th, 1994, in Whittier, CA. He was the perfect baby brother with a half-moon grin between the most squish-able cheeks you've ever seen. We were all so proud. Growing up, he was at his best playing outside, running, with ceaseless energy. Austin was funny and a goofball, cherished his sisters, adored his mom and dad, and was happiest with his entire family. With a mischievous sense of wonder, we recognized his vivid imagination, love of drawing, and make-believe with characters from his favorite movie, Star Wars. Austin would have us paint his face white, like the character Michael Meyers from the movie Halloween, stand in front of the mirror, and see if he could scare himself. Austin spent most days dressing up like his heroes Darth Vader and Buzz Lightyear as a little kid until those outfits no longer fit. After that, he discovered how good-looking he was, and at the age of seven, every morning before going to school at Our Lady of Guadalupe, he'd gel and blow dry his hair just right. He loved to look good.

Playing video games and baseball became his passions through his teenage years. He was a left-handed pitcher and pitched a perfect game during his freshman year at Sonora High School. Austin was an athlete and a competitive one at that. Austin hated to lose and had an excellent head of hair that he never fully appreciated. Overly concerned with his haircut, gel, and shoes, Austin was always meticulous in his presentation. He always wanted to be close with his friends and be one of the guys. Austin was a homie and the best fool you ever knew. Ever the goofball, he always knew how to make us laugh, and no matter how cool he thought he started to get with his friends, he was never too cool to crawl onto the couch at home and snuggle under one of his grandma's handmade throws. Sweet and polite was just his nature. His tenderness was evident in how he loved all his dogs growing up. Sparky, Ozzy, and, of course, Coco, Austin adored his Coco. He would be embarrassed by everything written here because that was also him; he hated too much attention. 

On June 3rd, 2011, Austin suffered severe head trauma during a baseball game while attending La Habra High School. A player threw the ball down the line from second to first base as Austin ran in opposition, striking him in the right eye and forever changing his life. At sixteen years old, with his entire world ahead of him, Austin overcame the pain of surgeries and a changed appearance that only he could notice. He crossed milestones, such as getting his driver's license with less than 20% of his sight in his right eye, and he graduated high school. Austin had dreams of achievement and success ahead of him.

What we recognized as triumph beneath was pain, an incredible, insurmountable amount of pain, introducing opioids into our lives. Austin was so charismatic and confident that you couldn't tell him anything. He thought he always knew better. He always said he didn't care what anybody thought, but we knew he cared deeply about what his loved ones thought. Austins' struggle was much like other families. Full of highs and hopes and lows. Throughout his early twenties, he experienced the right of passage of independence, getting his first apartment, and landing a job playing video games professionally. He was one of the best and the youngest on the team of guys a decade older than him. Austin thought he'd made it.

But soon enough, the road led him astray, and the battle Austin faced against his growing addictions did just that: they grew. Every member of our family stepped in. Every one of us tried our best to say and do something. Yet somehow, as the years passed, we all began to feel submerged.

The pain of addiction and the grip it holds on a family is insidious. 

Austin's wins were our wins, as were his losses. Year after year, each program and facility seemed to offer an everlasting hope that change was right around the corner. Recovery felt so close.

The program built Austin's true strength of character. Honesty appeared like a beacon of light in Austin's life. Accountability and the bonds he forged when he was committed to the program.  The Ohio House and his mentor, friend, and sponsor Cory shared a path of giving with Austin. One Austin had always secretly yearned for. The older brother he always wanted to be. Austin shared his ever-expanding ideas on physics, science, and the world that connected us all. Diligent in his care for his body and mind, his concern for his parents' health was always on his mind as he told his dad about keeping up with their workouts. 

Throughout his journey, Austin never stopped reaching out to his family, showing up in small ways, and doing his best. He had written down dreams of his family one day and his priority of getting closer to ours. 

Austin may have wanted to be a teacher in this life, even if he was way off. Of course, he was the younger brother, but maybe, after all, he knew more than we could see. Now Austin is our teacher. We are grateful for the love he has shown us and the journey he was brave enough to face alone. We are proud of the man that he was and the lives he touched. We pray now he is at peace, healthy, and childlike, loving us deeply, as we know he does. With complete sight, he can now see how much he is loved.

We are not our struggles. God sees us full.

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