On Thursday, May 5, 2022, US Marine LtCol, attorney and veteran advocate Justin Constantine passed away at the age of 52 after a long bout with cancer. While on a combat patrol with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines in October 2006, Justin was severely wounded by an Al Qaeda sniper’s bullet which inflicted devastating damage to his face. Through teamwork, mental fortitude, the gifted hands of surgeons and medical professionals, and tremendous support from his family and friends, Justin successfully endured several years of intensive surgeries and went on to live a full life of continued service to others. In late October of 2012, firefighters and fire officers from across the country gathered in Philadelphia, PA, for Leadership Under Fire’s inaugural summit. The “Making Yourself Hard to Kill” conference rigorously examined what was at the time a commonly neglected dimension of performance at fire and high-risk operations—the mental aspect. Justin was truly the epitome of resilience, and was a natural fit for the summit panel of survivors. Though Justin’s time on Earth was finite, his words of encouragement, which you’ll hear in this episode, are timeless.

Celebrate the life of Justin Constantine: celebratejustinconstantine.org