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Hundreds honor local Superman

February 4, 2008 12:16 am

Almost 500 members of the North Stafford High School community turned out Saturday night to support one of their own in his battle against cancer.

The setting could have been somber, but it seemed more like a wedding reception instead. Justin Whitaker, the 18-year-old who has inspired others with his positive attitude, greeted every person who lined up to see him.

His long-time girlfriend, Courtney Crews, was at his side. She and other marketing students and Student Council Association members came up with the idea of a dinner and talent show to honor Justin. Two teachers--Leigh Swift and Nicole Hagermann--pulled the massive event together in less than two weeks.

Justin and Courtney thanked people for coming. Justin gave bear hugs and pumped fists with classmates he'd known since elementary school. He threw his arms around the shoulders of Robbie Pierhalla and Sean Deasy, fellow seniors who recently had Justin's initials tattooed on their left arms.

"Basically, it's our way of showing him, no matter what happens, we'll always be close," Robbie said.

Those who never met the student got the same reception. Justin gave them hugs, asked a few questions about their interests and smiled--hundreds of times, as digital cameras flashed.

"It's just amazing," said Zac Briley, one of Justin's closest friends. "In a big school like this, I hear people every day that I never heard of, but everybody knows Justin. I don't think there's a person in the school who doesn't know his name."

Or what he's been through since June 2006.

Justin was 16 and a popular member of the baseball team when he was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkins T-cell lymphoma. The cancer affects cells that fight infection, but the student who came to be known as "Superman" wasn't about to let it beat him.

Months after his diagnosis, he started going to baseball practice, despite being on medicine that made it hard to walk. He got stronger every day and was back on the team the next spring. The community rallied to help with bills.

Then the cancer knocked Justin down again.

His condition got so bad last fall, his father, Craig, said he'd die without a bone-marrow transplant. Justin had that surgery in November. Things looked shaky at first, but Justin rebounded. In a January interview, he wanted to tell others: "You should never give up."

A few days later, Justin was back in the hospital. Scans that had been clear the week before showed the cancer had gone into his kidneys and throughout his bone marrow. Doctors said he'd last a week without chemotherapy.

So, Justin has spent most of 2008 getting five different types of aggressive drugs to fight the cancer. Last week alone, he had three transfusions of blood and platelets, just to keep him alive.

But as he worked the North Stafford crowd Saturday night, the "Man of Steel" put aside his physical issues. At one point, his hands were shaking and his feet--tucked into new size-14 dress shoes--were swollen. His mouth was bone dry, and as he tried to thank everyone for their support, his speech was a little slurred.

He had trouble finding the words, as he stood in front of the auditorium and twirled the microphone in his hand. He told his classmates they were the best and said, "I love you guys I love you guys."

Clearly, the feeling was mutual.

"There is phenomenal support, not only from his class but in the entire school and community," said Sarah Back, a North Stafford parent. "This kid is definitely loved."

Almost every element of the school was represented. The cafeteria was decorated with posters made by art students. They sketched Superman with Justin's face and wearing a lime-green cape, the color that represents his cancer. The signs read, "Justin, you're our hero."

A third of the senior class attended. Young men wore white shirts and ties on a Saturday night and young women put on high heels and had a class picture taken in the gym.

Baseball players strapped on plastic capes and toy guitars and sang about Superman and kryptonite. They got a standing ovation, but so did Allie Starbuck after her ballet solo, and Frank Berill, who wrote a song about Justin's time not running out yet.

The crowd cheered as vigorously for Deborah and Philip Me, students who gave a classical performance on piano and violin, as they did for the school's step and dance teams.

Those behind the scenes were just as enthusiastic. Teacher Pam McCluskey cooked all the pasta dishes so the sponsors wouldn't have to cater the event. Students from Colonial Forge High School helped serve, and parents of athletes worked alongside mothers and fathers of honor students.

"You would not believe how many people have volunteered to help," said Hagermann, the senior-class sponsor.

Justin's fourth- and fifth-grade teachers from Park Ridge Elementary School showed up Saturday night. So did Michael Wolf, a Colonial Forge junior who went to elementary school with him. He said Justin has friends throughout the Commonwealth District.

"I just admire Justin for all the hardships he's been through," Michael said, "and I can see that everybody here feels the same way."

Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com