DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – A memorial was held on Tuesday for Justin Johnson on what would have been his 17th birthday.

“Justin’s like a brother to me and I really love him,” said friend, Tyrese Turner.

“Probably right now we would be at the weight room, and I’d probably be with him lifting,” said friend, Dillinger Kapner.

But instead, Dillinger Kapner planned a memorial for Justin John at Koons Park in Lower Paxton Township.

More than 100 family, friends, and community members gathered to celebrate the life and birthday of Justin Johnson. Justin would have been 17 years old.

Abc27 talked with several students, whether they knew Justin well or were acquaintances, one thing is clear, he impacted many lives.

“He was inspiring and I really, I looked up to him a little bit and I just wish it wasn’t the last time I saw him on Thursday, I really wish I could of gotten to know him more,” said 8 ^th grader Kiyair Chisolm.

“Justin wasn’t just a friend, he was a brother, everything that he did was inspiring,” said friend, Peter Santa.

People who knew Justin shared who he was as a person and his love of football.

“He was just a very great person in general and he had like, was really kind and really has like great feelings for everyone and just a very good human being,” said Kapner.

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“Justin was like the first person to come up to me my first day in the weight room a couple months back, he helped me out, helped me talk to the coaches,” said 8 ^th grader Isaiah Paige.

“I had three classes with him, and he always talked about how much he loved football, and it was his dream, and he was so close to making it on the team,” said 10 ^th grader Makaela Kurtz.

The family of Justin Johnson has hired a law firm to conduct its own investigation into his death.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.