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OT: Christmas in his heart.

510 views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  CraigHassler 
#1 ·
I do some very part time volunteer work for the Make-A-Wish foundation. A young man (9) that we took to a baseball game last summer just passed away. The family lives in the mountains and could not always be down in Denver to be with him. His father worked construction and was finally working again after several weeks off; his mother had two small girls (3 & 5) to care for and she worked part time at a casino.

This letter was found on his bedstand.

Mom,

I know my being sick has been hard for you and Dad and the girls. I know Dad isn't working much because of the weather and that you don't have much money. So PLEASE don't buy me nothing for Christmas. The candy striper girls here give me lots of stuff so I don't need any. I know that there is no Santa but the girls don't. I have traded some of my snacks from the gray ladies and the little race car for a Pooh bear for Becky. She really loves that Pooh corner stuff and I want you to come get it so you could wrap it up for her for Christmas. Then she will still belive there is a Santa. I can't get any skating things for Carol but I did save some of my candy money from the cards people sended me. Maybe you can get her some skating stuff with it. I only have one more chemo this month and then I get to rest for a while. I love you all and miss you a bunch. See you Saturday.

I love you,
Danny

At the request of the family no last name was used and "Danny" was chosen as a pseudonym.

What else can I say: the spirit of Christmas was alive in the heart of this child. We should all be so lucky to love so truly and so purely.

Christmas won't be quite so bright this year and I will hold my family just that little bit tighter. And I will know that no gift of man will ever equal the love of a child.
 
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#3 ·
Christmas can be a tough time of year for some. Your story was very moving and thought-provoking.
When the weather breaks, you might arrange a Cobra rally in the mountains for deserving children to brovide a much-needed diversion in your, and some of your friends Cobras. It could be fun but would certainly be a lesson in life and courage.
:rolleyes:
 
#4 ·
Craig-Thanks for sharing that. We have seen and heard similar with our wonderful experiences with the Make a Wish chapter here in the Hudson Valley. When my 4 year old daughter was battling cancer, we were fortunate enough to be contacted by them and they took us to Disney World and the GKTW (give kids the world) program is absolutely fantastic. If you want to do your heart some good, get involved with these folks. Just great people.

Bob
 
#5 ·
very sad....i have donated to the make a wish foundation in the past and i think its a great charity, i think i will find out if i can do something more,i dont know what i could do except maybe drive someone somewhere,maybe in the patrol car or even in the cobra
......vinny
 
#9 ·
Thank you all for your thoughts and for your sharing of your blessings; for we truly are blessed.
 
#10 ·
Craig,
if you happen to follow XRACERBOB's adea, please let me know, I'd like to be part. Just yesterday morning (12/17/02) a fellow supervisor here at work lost his sister to ovarian cancer. Rather than flowers, he asked that any donations go to Make-A-Wish. Within an hour and a half we had gathered up more $600 from fellow employees.

Merry Christmas everyone! And I hope your new year is prosperous and healthy.

Cheese
 
#12 ·
Just want to say thank-you to anyone who has ever helped out The Make-A-Wish Foundation and share my family's story. Please bare with me if this drags on but i'll try to be brief...

On February 13, 2001, my then 4-year old daughter, Ashley, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The nuerosurgeon here in Pensacola told us that the tumor was inoperable (wouldn't even run a biopsy because of its location), nothing could be done, she may live 12 months at most, and the best thing to do was go home, plan for Hospice and prepare for the inevitable.

We took Ashley home and started doing our homework. We sent her MRI films all across the county and talked to numerous doctors and eventually wound up at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Trying to keep everything as normal as possible, my wife and I decided that our whole family (Ashley has 2 younger sisters, 2-years and 5-months at the time) would make the trip to NYC. On February 28, 2001, Ashley underwent an 8 hour brain surgery to remove approximately 25% of the tumor. Over the next 4 months, Ashley had a series of setbacks, but with the help of physical therapy and chemotherapy, she started making a slow recovery.

The night of June 15, 2001, Ashley slept in her own bed for the first time in 4 months. Although it was very difficult leaving the doctors who had saved Ashley's life, she was continuing to improve so we came home to finish up the chemo treatments.

Ashley received her last chemotherapy treatment in March, 2002. The MRI run at the end of treatment showed that only 10% of the tumor was still there. We made a trip back up to NYC in April for a 1-year check-up. The doctors at Beth Israel gave us some good news and bad news. The good news is that we DON'T need to plan for Hospice, these types of tumors don't kill kids...the bad news is we DO need to plan for college, because she's going to lead a normal life.

Ashley is in kindergarten this year and doing AWESOME. Looking at her now, one would never realize what she has been through. She is the strongest person I know.

So how does this relate to Make-A-Wish? Living down here in Florida, she had already been to Disney World numerous times so she was like "been there, done that". Well, over the summer, Ashley's wish of going on a Disney Cruise was granted. They paid the way for Ashley, her two sisters, my wife and me! Everyone treated Ashley like royalty and our entire family (other family members were able to pay their own way on the same cruise) will be forever grateful to Make-A-Wish and Disney.

Oh yeah, Ashley turns 6 tomorrow!

Pete

[ December 18, 2002, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: Gatorback ]
 
#13 ·
Thanks, I just love to hear about the one's that do make it.

I do mostly behind the sceens stuff for Make-A-Wish, bugging peole until they give what I want. I most of the time just can't face those kids knowing that some will never grow up.

Thank you all again and please give your own kids a great big hug and tell them how much yo love them and how much they mean to you. Nothing is more wonderful than our children.

For any that may want to help make a wish come true, here is the link.

http://www.wish.org/home/frame_frontpage_pleasingpurchases.htm

[ December 18, 2002, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: Rocket Scientist ]
 
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