A father battling cancer and his young family were surprised with Christmas gifts and donations from the nonprofit organization Best Christmas Ever, which serves “families who have fallen upon tough times, through no fault of their own.”
The Anderson family of Northland, Minnesota, has endured immense hardship ever since Mike was diagnosed with glioblastoma a year into his marriage with his wife Jen, WDIO reports. The pair share a young daughter named Emmie.
Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of cancer that surfaces in the spinal cord or brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic’s website states it “can be very difficult to treat and a cure is often not possible.”
Mike and Jen decided to fight the disease and were able to stave it off for a time, but unfortunately, Mike’s glioblastoma resurfaced this year as stage four, according to WDIO. The family has decided to battle the disease for a second time. As the Andersons are paying for treatment on top of their usual living costs, Best Christmas Ever showed up to their home on Sunday to provide the couple and their daughter Emmie with the Christmas the young family deserves.
“There have been a lot more downs than ups so to answer the door to this tonight is something that this family will never forget,” Jen told WDIO while holding Emmie. “To have this little girl get an exciting, special Christmas that she probably wouldn’t have had means the world to us.”
Lizzie Strickland, who helped organize the event, told WBIO that the organization exists to serve families like the Andersons.
“It’s been an amazing, fulfilling experience to help surprise the family and give them the best Christmas ever in situations that would have made it hard to do for themselves,” she said.
“It’s just been a cool experience and it really shows how close the community can get together to give people good moments. It really just brings back the kindness and humanity we all have,” Strickland added.
Best Christmas Ever continues to collect donations for the Minnesota family for another three days. So far, $6,970 has been raised, surpassing the $5000 goal.