Austin Mitchell Land was born January 10, 1974. By the age of 22 he had modeled for Land's End mail ordering catalog, Tommy Hilfiger, Six Flags, Bugle Boy, Gatorade, Baylor University, JC Penny, Sears, and a number of other corporations. One month prior to his death, the magazine "Study Break," interviewed Austin. Austin said that living in Africa eliminated a lot of discrimination. "You grow up with a variety of cultures. You learn diversity, at an early age. It's not color that makes people different, it's value, beliefs, and family practices." His experience in Africa was a result of our parents being missionaries in the Ivory Coast. Here is the profile that "Study Breaks" made on Austin.
| Age: | 21 |
| Major: | Marketing |
| Classification: | Junior |
| Hometown: | Abidjan, West Africa (Ivory Coast) |
| Hobbies: | Rock climbing, bowling, gymnastics, (anything competitive). |
| The most daring thing I have ever done: | Skydiving. |
| I feel guilty after: | Losing my temper. |
| I love to pamper myself with: | Nice clothes. |
| I'm most afraid of: | Not living my life for God. |
| Before I go to sleep I always have to: | Eat. I sleep much better on a full stomach. |
| My goal is to: | Live my life worshipping Jesus and be a witness to see others turn their lives to Him. |
| The best pick-up line I have ever heard is: | Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?" |
| Relaxing to me is: | Lounging on the couch listening to praise music. |
| My wildest fantasy is: | Coming true this July 12th when I marry my fiancee Ashli. |
| I'd love to have dinner with: | Rush Limbaugh. |
| The thing I like most about myself is: | I'm willing to give someone a really good scare. |
| The thing I dislike most about myself is: | I get frustrated easily. |
| Even though I know it's wrong: | I love to give someone a really good scare. |
| My favorite hot spot is: | The Canary Islands (West Africa-off the coast of Senegal). |
| Favorite part of my body is: | My legs. |
| I've never been able to: | Understand angry drivers. |
| Don't tell anyone: | But I really enjoy making someone laugh. |
| Whenever I feel sorry for myself: | I sleep. |
| The perfect evening for me: | Is an intense time of worship with the Lord. |
| I prefer to be around: | My family. |
| If there were a nuclear war in one week I'd : | Visit Abidjan where I grew up. |
| If God offered me three wishes I would wish for: | |
| 1) Better ability to love people. | |
| 2) A Christ like presence about me that would witness to people. | |
| 3) Humble attitude. |