At one point, Justin Roth's family didn't know if he would walk - let alone ever play basketball.
Now there he is, out on the court, and his family is worried about him.
"Justin, get out of there," his grandmother says, as he creeps near the lane, a rebound up for grabs.
"Justin, watch out," his mother Wendy Roth says during a fastbreak.
It's much more than a game for the Roth family.
That's because Justin, 10, was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type I, also known as Brittle Bone Disease, at 5 months.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a rare genetic disorder caused by a gene mutation for type I collagen production. Those with OI have too little or a poor quality of collagen, a condition which allows bones to break easily. According to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, collagen provides structure and strength to bones, joints, organs and skin.
Yet for a child facing such health obstacles, Justin's proven himself plenty resilient.
"He's our miracle baby," Wendy said.
Justin has suffered more fractures at his young age than most will in a lifetime. He's had 20 total fractures, including to his skull and numerous vertebrae.
But now he's playing fifth-grade basketball in Juda. Justin even wants to have a career as a basketball coach. He often cheers teammates, calling out "pump fake" or "stop the ball" as they run down the court.
"It's a fun sport and you get to make your own plays," he said of basketball.
Now there he is, out on the court, and his family is worried about him.
"Justin, get out of there," his grandmother says, as he creeps near the lane, a rebound up for grabs.
"Justin, watch out," his mother Wendy Roth says during a fastbreak.
It's much more than a game for the Roth family.
That's because Justin, 10, was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type I, also known as Brittle Bone Disease, at 5 months.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a rare genetic disorder caused by a gene mutation for type I collagen production. Those with OI have too little or a poor quality of collagen, a condition which allows bones to break easily. According to the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, collagen provides structure and strength to bones, joints, organs and skin.
Yet for a child facing such health obstacles, Justin's proven himself plenty resilient.
"He's our miracle baby," Wendy said.
Justin has suffered more fractures at his young age than most will in a lifetime. He's had 20 total fractures, including to his skull and numerous vertebrae.
But now he's playing fifth-grade basketball in Juda. Justin even wants to have a career as a basketball coach. He often cheers teammates, calling out "pump fake" or "stop the ball" as they run down the court.
"It's a fun sport and you get to make your own plays," he said of basketball.