One local church is standing behind a young man who is less than half the
man he used to be. Open Arms Community Church is hosting a benefit concert
to help out with traveling expenses for the Willoughby family.

Justin Willoughby has lost as 480 pounds. That’s as much as a bale of cotton
the size of a refrigerator. Most of the weight was lost without any surgery,
but when Justin reached a weight loss plateau, it helped to have friends in
high places.

After Willoughby’s story went nationwide, New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr.
Barry DiBernardo heard the news, and offered to remove the 19 year old’s
excess skin, at no charge. The Willoughby’s packed up and headed to New
Jersey, for a television taping with Inside Edition, and the first, and most
dangerous part of the surgery, as 22 pounds of skin was cut from his abdomen
and chest.

“The doctor took the skin and spread it out on the floor to see how far it
stretched, and it was about three to five feet of skin,” says Willougby.

While the surgery and doctor’s visits are free to the Willougby family,
travel to and from New Jersey, and hotel stays are putting their strain on
the family budget. “We really just have enough to get by, and we don’t have
the gas money and the other expenses to make the trips.”

Open Arms Community Church has helped with funds for a few trips, and now
they are opening up for an opportunity for the community to support
Willoughby, as he heads down on October 17th for an evaluation on the next
surgery to remove the extra skin from his arms and legs.

From 7:30 until 10:00pm Saturday Night, local bands will take the stage at
Open Arms during the “Rock 4 Justin” to help foot the travel bills. Artists
like Josh Hatcher and the Revolt, Mike Miller from Fluidity, Jordan Strauss,
and others will be showcasing their talents, without charging a cover.

“There’s really no admission cost, we just ask that people give what they
can at the door to help out Justin,” says Outreach Pastor Josh Hatcher.

Willoughby will also perform a few of his own original rap songs as well, “I
like performing, and it gives me a chance to do that, and there will be
bands that I enjoy listening to,” says Willoughby.

“It’s not just a Christian concert either,” says Hatcher, who says that the
event will have music of many genres, for many different tastes. “We’re
still finalizing the line-up, and there are still a few slots open for other
bands that want to participate.”

When asked about all the national media attention that his weight loss has
garnered, Willoughby is excited, not because of any attention it brings him,
but for how it’s allowed him to help others.

“When my story was picked up by the Associated Press, a man in Alaska read
it. He weighs 800 pounds, and he had given up on weight loss, and life
altogether. He’s been in contact with me, and I’ve been trying to help him
out by sending him positive emails, and praying for him. I think it’s
awesome that God has been able to use my story to reach people on the other
side of the country,”

For more information on the Rock 4 Justin, log on to openarmsbradford.org