29,040-foot Rainbow Loom chain helps kids with cancer
Eight-year-old Addie Yourstone teaches Bill McCarty how to loom during the Loom-A-Thon.
Photo by Kaylee Johnston
A 29,040-foot-long Rainbow Loom chain was put together with the collaboration of over 500 people, kids and adults, to fulfill SuperMax’s goal of setting a Guinness world record at the Clifton C. Miller Community Center.
Seven-year-old Max Wilford, having been diagnosed with a brain glioma at the age of four, put together this Loom-A-Thon for his birthday to help other kids with cancer, sending all donations to the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Center at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
“SuperMax,” as named by his parents Justin Wilford, 37, and Saddleback College Student Development Director Audra DiPadova Wilford, 36, underwent his fifth surgery the day after the event, and will be going through six weeks of radiation.
“The raw emotions of everyone connecting to Max’s story has been amazing and inspiring,” principal of Arroyo Elementary Maggie Villegas said. “His strength inspires us everyday to be our best selves and to show our love. He has filled our school with true love and it is the most beautiful thing to see it spread throughout our entire school community.”
The proceeds of the event that are being sent to CHOC, will support the use of acupuncture and massage, a method Max had been given by Ruth McCarty, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, during 18 months of chemotherapy.
This event had begun as a small birthday party, according to Audra, however, with the appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel show and social media taking on this new “superhero,” the event grew to an overflow of filled seats and a floor covered with children looming.
Tustin Unified School District’s Arroyo Elementary sent in numerous letters from all fifth graders and a video from Kathi Denny’s fourth grade class to Jimmy Kimmel, getting Max on the show with assistance from Villescas.
After the uproar from the event, Audra stated that more events are to come from the Max Love Project.
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