Justin’s Fight Is My Fight

Photos courtesy of Ashley Cooley

A Wife’s Mission to Turn Tragedy into Awareness and Hope

Over a 13-year career as an educator and coach, and another two as an athletic director, Ashley Cooley learned a thing or two about preparing for tough opponents. But nothing could have prepared her for the biggest battle of her life—the one she walked alongside her husband, Justin.

The couple had been married for just six months when Justin was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. In an instant, the Cooleys’ world became a blur of doctor’s appointments, home treatments, and holding each other up emotionally.

“We married on September 26, 2020, in the midst of COVID, and we had both experienced it,” Ashley said. “Some of his symptoms from that seemed to linger—abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits. At first, we thought it might be gallbladder-related or lingering effects of COVID. We weren’t really sure.”

Justin’s initial exam didn’t raise any alarms, but when his symptoms persisted, doctors performed an abdominal ultrasound of his liver and gallbladder. That scan revealed metastasis in his liver.

“It had to have come from one of two places—either colon cancer or lung cancer,” Ashley said. “Based on Justin’s symptoms, we knew right then and there that it had to be colon cancer. That news is life-shattering.”

On the drive home, Justin admitted that he had noticed symptoms—such as blood in his stool—but either through denial or lack of awareness, he never considered cancer as a possibility.

“Justin didn’t have any history of colorectal cancer in his family,” Ashley said. “We went through genetic testing because he has three grown children, and he wanted to know what to tell them. He wasn’t a carrier for any mutation, either.”

The couple responded to the diagnosis the only way they knew how—by fighting back. Ashley became Justin’s caregiver as the disease took its toll over the next few years. Little by little, he lost the ability to perform daily tasks, a process Ashley shared with him every step of the way.

In early 2024, Justin suffered a seizure, a sign that the cancer had spread to his brain. It was clear his remaining time was short. He passed away in April, leaving behind loved ones, a wide circle of friends, and his heartbroken wife.

“You ask the question, ‘Why?’” Ashley said. “We had a beautiful life. We had a wonderful, supportive family, a beautiful home, great careers. I truly believe—deep down, and we spoke about this before he passed—that our paths crossed for a reason, that I was meant to help him through this.”

With Justin gone, Ashley searched for her next purpose—something that would honor him and give his suffering meaning. She discovered that sharing his story, in the hope of inspiring or even saving someone else, was profoundly healing.

“I’ve taken to social media this March, which happens to be Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and every single day, I’m posting a fact, a statistic, or a personal story from Justin’s journey,” she said. “That’s the best platform for me right now, and I use the hashtag #JustinsFightIsMyFight, which was our slogan. It’s my way of coping and grieving.”

Justin always believed his story could make a difference.

“During his fight, Justin would say that if his story helped just one person—if it reached someone who had never had a colonoscopy but got one because of him, and something was detected—then we had been given this situation for a reason,” Ashley said. “He would say, ‘I can endure this if it helps save others.’ That’s who he was. Now, I’m trying to bring hope and inspiration to others in his memory.”