"a friend of mine, Eleni, mother to Manny, made this for Dustin. wasn't that sweet?"



This beautiful collage of Dustin includes his cousin, nephew and sister.





During my pregnancy with Dustin, I had some scares, but on the 21st of February in the year 1985,
my baby boy Dustin made his way into the world, weighing in at 7 lbs. and 11-1/2 ozs.
He was the second of two children, his sister Tasha was my first-born and having no sisters of
my own she became my real life baby doll and my sister. I was 18 when I had Tasha, but 22
when I gave birth to Dustin, and alot wiser I guess, because so much fear came to me. I was
scared for him, for both of my children. Dustin was such a sweet baby, so precious. Always
compassionate, from the time he could walk and talk.He was in and out of hospital his first years
until age 5 with allergiesthat he soon outgrew.Dustin was the type of person that would help others.
I remember when he was 5 years old, we were having some birthday cake and he was trying to get
someone to wipe cake from a little 3-year-old girl. When no one did, he got up from the table and very
gently wiped the cake off himself. He took time for others from the time he was born. He had a temper
but never really got mad, only frustrated. He wanted everyone to like him and he liked everyone.
Dustin was a Mommy's boy for such a long time; I guess until age 15 when he became more independent.
He wasn't a mean child, but I guess that I was protective of him in more ways than I was with my daughter.
I love both of my children will all of my heart, but Dustin held a special place in Mommy's heart... Maybe
because he was the baby and was so sick as a young child.



At age 15, Dustin told me he was going to live with his father. I told him to go on; I thought that after a week
he would come back, then another week passed, then another... his father took me to court and with
Dustin being 15, the court let him choose to live permanently with his father, although I knew that he would
come home eventually. Dustin would bargain with me about curfews and other things... how I wish that
I had given in. He moved in with his father in March of 2000. He had been there close to a year. His father got
custody of Dustin in August of 2000. Then in 7 months, tragedy struck...


Thank you for taking the time to meet my son. I didn't lose my son in a car accident, or to an illness.
My son was a healthy strong 16 year old boy. His life on earth ended when his father's house caught fire;
his father left the house, but my son was in bed sleeping. I last saw Dustin on March 13, 2001 healthy and full of life...







Dustin came to visit me on Sunday; I gave him a hair cut, then I was suprised when he came up
on Tuesday, because normally I would have to beg to see him, but this was his own doing. On this
Tuesday, he wanted to do anything for me... I asked him to clean up the room, his room, I learned later that
he had taken pictures from my photo albums, because he had one of him and his nephew Jacob taped up in
his locker.....when he finished the room he asked if there was anything else that he could do, I said jokingly
that he could clean the bathroom so that Justin my step son, would know how it is done. Dustin did clean it, toilet
and all........while I sat on the couch... We had a little talk as I was doing something in the kitchen. He was telling
me that his girlfriend liked an older guy, that was in the service. As I look back I wish there was more I had said
on this. I did tell him that in this life he would have his heart broken and that he too would break a few hearts.
He just said that he still had a chance to make things right with Bridgett, his girlfriend, because this guy would
be over seas for 8 months, and laughed. This makes me smile to think of this, Dustin never knew pride, not like
his Mom. He played ball with Justin, then I asked him if he was hungry and he said, no, but he did have
something to drink. Then he came in and told me that he was going home, leaning against my wall.
(I can still see him standing there so clear today.) I got up, gave him $25.00 and asked if I could drive
him home. He said, No, his cousin Brian is on his way. So I hugged and kissed him and told him that I loved him.
He said, "I love you too Mom," as he went out the door. I went to the window to watch him leave.As I saw
him walking to the car, something made me feel as if I shouldn't watch him out of site. I have always heard it was
bad luck to watch a person out of site, so I sat down, even though inside my heart told me to not let him leave.....



The next day I never saw Dustin. Then on Thursday, I heard that there was a child that threatened to bring a gun
to school. I had sent Justin, because I didn't know that this was happening, so I called the school. They told me that
Dustin was there, and that everything was okay, but Dustin would probably call me to get out early. I went to work,
and when I came home, I had burgers for Dustin and Justin, but Dustin wasn't here. I put his burgers in the fridge.
I was so sure he would be by, because of the threat at school. I saw on caller ID that he had tried to call me, Oh God,
I wish that I had been home..............I worried all that day. The next day, I was busy with my beauty salon, but I had
Dustin on my mind so much that day, I couldn't explain it. But I know now, that that was my last chance to get in touch
with him.



Dustin and Mom, in their last posed photo together.



I finished working at 7pm, then went to make a bank deposit. I looked for Dustin out, but never saw him.
Later that night, I was online and his cousin Brian was on msn messenger, so I asked him where Dustin was.
He said he was there, and asked if I wanted to talk to him. I said no, just tell him that I love him, assuming that he
was staying the night there. I went on to bed.......I wish I had talked to him, I would give anything to have heard
him say, "I love you Mom" one last time...........I went to bed that night, then I woke up about 9:30am. I was
starting to do some spring cleaning and the phone rang around 10am. Bib said that it was Eddie, Brian's Father,
and that Denny's house was on fire. I do not know why, but I put my hands up and was backing away. Then I said,
"Well Dustin will have to come home now," and that we would have to buy him all new clothes. Bib said yes,
and then he said "Well, we should go down there because Dustin might need us." So after this it is a big blur to me.
I remember the people. I do not want to relive this, even though I do everyday, but let me say, that from that point on,
it wasn't like I was there. I stayed in a zombie state of mind for weeks to come.......But I do remember that before
we got through town, I saw the thick black smoke........I said, "It must be burning to the ground"........There was
ambulances and police, fire trucks, but no sirens, I can't recall no sirens..........Then a friend came up to our Explorer,
his wife is the funeral director, he said, "I am sorry melanie", I said why? then I saw out of the corner of my eye that
I think Bib shook his head no............I do not know, but the guy walked away, at this point I had tears in my eyes,
my heart was pounding, I kept saying Dustin would not be there not on a week-end............He never stayed there
on week-ends. Then my grandbaby's Paternal grandfather came up and said "I'm so sorry, Melanie". Again Bib did
the same, I got out of the vehicle and walked towards the house, all I saw was so much smoke, I saw fire on the
other side of the house. I saw a neighbor, I can't remember very clear, but he said Denny's okay, he is sitting
over there, and he pointed. I said i am not worried about Denny, what about Dustin, the look on his face was kind
of telling me Dustin wasn't in there, because this was Dustin's next door neighbor and he would have known by
this time if Dustin was in there. Bib had me tight around the rib cage and I saw the police he was blocking me
from getting too close.........I asked if my son was in that house?




My life as I knew it will never be the same; and to think that I told my son that he would break a few hearts himself,
only to end up 4 days later, breaking so many hearts himself, including mine and his sister Tasha's. The house
had apparently caught fire sometime before 9 a.m. Dustin for some reason didn't make it out, however, his father,
Denny, did. A business man saw smoke and rushed over there Denny was in the back yard. He told the man Dustin
was in there, this was around 9 a.m. The business man is always on time for work; well he told Denny they would
go in and get Dustin, another man with with him. But Doug, the businessman, said Denny didn't go in........Denny told
them he dragged my son into the living room and that part was engulfed with flames. I feel the men knew not where to
look........when I talked to Doug and told him where Dustin was found, he said he was just about 5 ft. away from him,
and didn't know. Dustin was found in the floor next to the window......I think Dustin left this world, at 9:06p.m.
It might sound odd, but I was wondering... By the time I got there it was 10 or after, and I felt like I should have been able
to save him. When I noticed my watch a few days later, it had stopped at 9:06. I think Dustin was telling me that there
was nothing I could have done. But I still feel like I could have done something. Denny drinks and is on drugs too,
but people say he just forgot Dustin was home. But Doug's story lets me know that Denny knew.........Denny could
have at least lead him to the right room, Dustin could have been brought out and wouldn't had to have laid in that
house 8 hours after the fire was put out; it took 2 hours to get the fire out. It was at least 55 minutes before
9-1-1 was called. There was no mention of my son being in that house, not until the firetrucks got there 10 minutes
after the call. Then the 4th call was from them, stating possible entrapment... I do not understand, and I guess
I never will understand, how anyone would leave a burning house without their child...




Scott Woolum should have been one of the pall bearers, and Joey Corns should have been honary pall bearer.










Dustin's mom writes about this image: "This lady reminds me of me, I can tell she is in pain,
I can hear her cries.........I know she is hurting, I call it agony.........."



Oh my Sweet precious baby boy,
You are the flesh and blood
of my flesh and my blood
It was God who breathed life into you
and for me, that was His greatest gift of all.
I love you so much Dustin,
May the Lord above who gave you to me,
be holding you in his arms.



You can also visit Dustin with some of his angel friends on this page ~
Special Page 2



I lost Dustin a month after Dale Earnhart's tradgedy....Dale was killed Feb.18th and I Lost Dustin March 17.....so I feel connected to Dale somehow,
it hurt Dustin when Dale died. "Life is not measured, by how many breaths we take, But by the moments that take our breath away"


This webpage is created
In Loving Memory of Dustin James Ellis
on January 19, 2003
Last updated: October 27, 2004
© 2003 - 2004







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The song you are listening to is "There You'll Be"