Concert Will Celebrate Life Of 11-Year-Old Cancer Victim

A concert in uptown Shelby on Saturday will celebrate the life of an 11-year-old girl who died of cancer on Thursday.

The Rock of Life concert was planned as a fundraiser for the family of Carey Heavner, who was diagnosed with an adult form of colon cancer in 2009. Event organizers decided to go ahead with the concert in memory of Carey and to help the family with expenses.

“Neither one of (Carey’s parents) have been able to work through the last part of Carey’s illness,” Jayson Lankford told Channel 9’s newspaper partner, the Shelby Star. “My main goal is to give them time to mourn, time to heal, time to spend with each other and lift that financial burden.”

Saturday’s event, which starts at 5 p.m. at the Shelby Court Square, will include face painting, balloon animals, a moonwalk and a puppet show. Three bands will play.

All money raised will go directly to the Heavner family.