RILEY RAINS / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For Justin Cann, helping others was never about being a hero. 

When Justin was 11 years old, his family went on vacation to Perth, Western Australia. While he was boogie-boarding in the Indian Ocean, Justin spotted a man who was struggling to stay above the water. Without hesitation Justin gave the stranger his boogie board and helped him safely to shore. His family wouldn’t learn about the rescue until nearly six months later. 

Justin was an extremely talented musician. Photo courtesy of Julie Cann

“Justin didn’t like attention on himself,” Julie Cann, Justin’s mother, explained. “He didn’t think it was a big deal and that’s why he didn’t tell us sooner.”

That’s the type of man Justin was.

Earlier this summer, Justin was walking on the 5800 block of Linda Vista Road when he was involved in a fatal traffic collision.  The unnamed San Diego Police officer who was driving the vehicle provided first aid and called first-responders to the scene. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department transported Justin to a local hospital where he died at 3:35 a.m. on June 17. He was 21. 

USD senior Brett Lamey lived with Justin last semester. They had been friends since their first year. 

“Justin’s sense of humor was likely the first thing you would notice about his personality,” Lamey   explained. “A   combination of quips, sarcasm and timing made  him  consistently  one of the funniest people I knew. He was [also] overall  fairly reserved. He didn’t  usually  talk  about himself  unless you asked, but he would always  be  happy  to  listen to you.” 

 While Justin tended to be focused on tasks, Lamey recalled a failsafe way to draw him out of his room. 

    “Justin  stayed in his room doing work much of the time, with the door  closed to avoid distractions,” Lamey shared. “However, when Tyler [Hayes] and I would start up the Wii, and Mario Kart music would start playing from the TV, it would take about 20 seconds for him to emerge   from his room.  Never with a smile, or a sense of excitement, but  with  a completely straight face. He’d stand in the doorway, looking at   the both of us, then nod his head, grab a  drink from the fridge, then come claim his spot on the couch, knowing it was about to get heated.”

Even students who didn’t room with Justin knew of his soft, fun demeanor. USD senior and Vista Feature editor Julianna Flores lived on Justin’s floor during their second year. 

“He was quiet but so kind,” Flores remembered. “He always had a comforting, warm feeling about him. He was the type of guy to  always  hold  the door open for someone even if he was late.”

While his peaceful presence guided Justin’s social life, his talents drove his ambitions. He excelled in sports videography and had an extensive portfolio of his artistic work.  To view Justin’s portfolio, visit his website at justincann.myportfolio.com

Senior Xander Brayfield worked closely with Justin on a number of creative projects within the athletics department. 

“I watched him grow from a kid who didn’t even have his own camera to being one of our most trusted videographers,” Brayfield recalled. “He played a major part in elevating the level of our creative video content for  ALL  sports here at USD. He really never took the credit or wanted the glory for his work, and was truly selfless when it came to making these amazing videos for all of our student athletes, regardless of the sport.”

Sports videographers are oftentimes under time pressure to push their work out; while this might sound like a hindrance, Brayfield remembers those late nights spent working with Justin  fondly. 

“Many   late   nights   while  other   students  were  out   partying,   it was just him and I grinding after USD games,” Brayfield continued. “There are many  of those nights  still to   come,   and I know  that he will always be  with us. He was a true friend of mine and I’ll never forget him.” 

Ney Castaneda is one of the athletes that Justin worked with; Castaneda transferred to USD in 2025 but recently transferred to Oklahoma University for soccer. During his time at USD, Castaneda got to know Justin. 

“He was one of the first guys I became friends with when I transferred here,” Castaneda explained. “He would come over at one in the morning  to come and edit  the videos with me. I admired  him so much.  He  was so sweet and humble. Anytime you had a conversation with him, it was so pure and genuine. When I had to go home for an emergency, he  was  the  one  who  picked up the call to take me to the airport. Not a mean bone in [Justin’s] body.”

Beyond the camera, Justin was also extremely musically talented — he played the saxophone  in  two  campus bands. USD  junior Caden Haynor, the pianist in the USD Jazz Houseband,  recalled   Justin’s light   shining   through  his  music.

“There is an ethereal and very real power behind music, which Justin harnessed expertly with his saxophone,” Haynor shared. “Justin was always very composed and focused when it came to rehearsals. His improvised solos weren’t solo, they included everyone in the band. Communication is often improvised, but when it is non verbal, it takes a very special leader to have it make sense. Justin was that person.”

Justin’s   wide range of  interests  reached the sea; he was president  of    The USD  Sailing  Club and showed new members the ropes. USD sophomore Jack Craford thought of Justin as a mentor. 

“I remember him as an organized, responsible and confident leader,” Craford wrote. “His main goal was to help everyone become a better sailor and person while keeping practices organized, fun, and filled with memories.”

However stoic Justin was as a leader, Craford admitted to his fun side. 

“My favorite memory that captures  his personality  is  on one  of the last few days of  practice when he taught me how to sail backwards,” Craford continued. “It was something I had never done before and he went through the motions to teach me how to do it. He always trusted me in moments like this and was confident  in my  skills  as  a  sailor.”

Justin’s welcoming persona is what  encouraged  USD  sophomore Kiera Larose to join  the    Sailing    Club  last  year. She will act as the risk manager this fall. 

“He taught  me  so  much  about sailing  and  I  am  so grateful I got to  learn  from  him,” Larose said. “Justin loved to play  around on the water … He was a  very  skilled sailor  and was always pushing others to learn new tricks. I always admired how Justin led with kindness and composure. Justin hosted us at his house … we talked and laughed all night. Justin did so much for the USD Sailing Club and  the USD  community. We miss him and hold him in our hearts.”

No amount of words, anecdotes or tributes can summarize  the  impact of Justin’s life. On Sept. 13 at the USD home soccer game against the San Diego  State  Aztecs, there will be a moment  of  silence and remembrance video to honor Justin’s legacy. Any and all students, staff and faculty are welcome to attend at 5 p.m.

Pictured above is Justin and Xander Brayfield at a USD sports game. Photo courtesy of Xander Brayfield

Justin and Kiera Larose sailing together last semester. Photo courtesy of Kiera Larose