Parents of Boy, 7, Dying of Brain Cancer Granted Christmas Wish (Story Update)

[The Straight Story]

Parents of Boy, 7, Dying of Brain Cancer Granted Christmas Wish


WEST JEFFERSON, Ohio — A mother and father's wish for Christmas cards for their son with brain cancer has brought an avalanche of mail in Ohio, thanks to the power of the Internet.

Thousands of cards for 7-year-old Nate Elfrink have arrived at his home west of Columbus on each of the last few delivery days.

The boy's mother says it all started with a simple online message she wrote saying cards would be appreciated by her son, who's in hospice care. As Nate's father puts it, people took the request for holiday wishes "up Mount Everest," spreading it through e-mails, Facebook and Twitter.

There are so many cards, from all over the world, that church volunteers now open and sort them. The family also has been receiving phone calls, including one from a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580269,00.html

on edit, update to this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7219635

[The Straight Story]

1. More info, as of dec 22:

In West Jefferson, OH, mail volume has been heavier than usual — and not just because of the holidays. "Cards keep pouring in for the Elfrink family," said Officer in Charge Danielle Eppley.

The cards, mostly from strangers responding to an online message and e-mail request that said 7-year-old Nate Elfrink, a brain-cancer patient now in hospice care, wanted to receive 1 million Christmas cards.

Rural Carrier Katy Handley is delivering thousands of cards and letters every day to Nate and his family. "It's very touching to know in these difficult times people can still come together to show they care and show support," Eppley said.

When the cards started rolling in, Nate's mother Dode McVey realized a simple online message she wrote updating her son's condition and suggesting that he would appreciate cards had traveled around the world. Her message was forwarded and posted on Facebook and Twitter.





http://www.fedsmith.com/article/2252/well-wishes-cards-letters-arrive-support-year.html

[The Straight Story]

2. kicking for the late night drunk crowd

:rofl:

[medeak]

3. what's the deal with laughing icon?

not funny imo....

[The Straight Story]

4. I was laughing at my own remark

not at the story.

[spoony]

5. Thanks for the update

Thanks to your original post, he got a few more cards :)

And I'm glad there are some people helping open them all!

[Libertas1776]

6. I regret not having sent a card

and now that the family has requested people to stop sending cards since the poor lad is doing worse and the family, understandably so, wants to focus all their attention on the sweet kid. I'm glad he got his Christmas wish, though. It's such a sobering story :cry:

[The Straight Story]

7. I got my christmas gift: My kids are all healthy. My son is in town, he is heading out to iraq soon

though, so I am really happy I get to see him this Christmas, might be awhile before I get to again (always subject to change, first it was Afghanistan Next August, then earlier, now Iraq in first quarter 2010...hell he might be safer over there than at Ft. Hood...)

[Libertas1776]

8. Good for you, friend

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas with the fam :hi:

[apocalypsehow]

9. Kick & Rec. n/t