—Join Us for Our Next Heart screening—
Saturday, February 7
Robinson Park Recreation Center
“Dream Big,” a Justin Impact Story
Interview by Summer Intern Ciclalis Rico
Justin was a 10th-grader at Harvard-Westlake when his friend Zena, then a senior, was feeling overwhelmed about what to do after graduation. Zena had been recruited by several D-1 basketball programs, but he was also considering taking a postgraduate year. And though Harvard had always been his dream school, he felt discouraged-many people told him he wouldn’t be admitted.
Justin’s advice was simple: “Dream Big.” He reminded Zena that he could go anywhere he set his heart on, and he even created a piece of artwork for him as a daily reminder. This summer, Zena surprised the Carr family with a special gift, an advance copy of the children’s book he had written and published in honor and memory of his friend Justin.
Discover Dream Big today and see how Zena’s story unfolds.
Heather, an SCA Survivor’s Story
A decade ago, a meaningful partnership was formed between the Justin Carr Wants World Peace Foundation (JCWWP) and the UCLA Saving Hearts Foundation (SHF). We must credit the Parent Heart Watch Association for making this connection possible. Over the past ten years, it has been a pleasure to witness the founding executive members of Saving Hearts embark on careers in medicine, entrepreneurship, and administration.
Los Angeles County Wildfire Update
In a Fire’s Ruins, Signs of a Previous Loss Leave a Family With Seeds of Hope
It was easy to miss. Susan Toler Carr and her husband, Darrell, were picking through the charred remnants of what had been their home when she spotted a speck of turquoise in the blackened debris: a small metal butterfly, untouched, it seemed, by the fire that had torn through their quiet neighborhood at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.
The family home is gone. The gate in their son’s honor still stands.
The pain the Carrs felt with their only son’s sudden death in 2013 resurfaced with the destruction of his childhood home, which had become a shrine in his memory.
Fulfilling Justin’s Promise
Saving Youth through Art, Heart and Peace
Using the Power of Education to Teach, Encourage, Inspire and Guide
Justin Carr was a young Renaissance man who had a strong affinity for the visual and performing arts. He was the only child of Darrell Carr and Susan Toler Carr. This peacebuilder was a selfless, curious, vibrant gentle giant with an infectious smile–who loved and embraced life. At four years old, he prayed for world peace, at nine he wrote a letter to Santa Claus asking for world peace. Justin wanted to give back to those less fortunate than himself, but he could not reach his full potential or realize his dreams. On February 22, 2013, at the age of 16, Justin died unexpectedly from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) while swimming during his usual team practice at his school Harvard-Westlake. The Justin Carr Wants World Peace (JCWWP), a 501 (c) 3 organization, was created from the blueprints Justin left behind, building upon his Art, Heart & Peace initiatives.
Here’s How We Do It
Art
Creative Art Programs & Scholarships
Heart
Free Heart Screenings, SCA Education, CPR & AED Training
Peace
Workshops, Webinars & Community Events
Accepting Scholarship Applications • February 28, 2025
Click below to apply for the Visual & Performing Arts and Academic Achievement Scholarship