Little Girl Writes Heartbreaking Letter to Santa Asking for Kidney for Brother
“It’s the most consumptive time of the year!” If Edward Pola and George Wyle were writing their Christmas classic today, I suspect those are the lyrics they might pen.
Present shopping and goodie grabbing seems to define the season every bit as much as religious observance and family togetherness. I know that retailers adore the extra revenue that comes with such a spirit.
Still, I can’t help but think that we’ve lost something in the transition. Then again, not all of the gifts that everyone wants this Yuletide are equal.
Kristina Fickbohm of Grantsburg, Wisconsin, told KSTP that she got a surprising Christmas list from her eight-year-old son Donavin. “(He) usually comes up to me with the whole entire Toys-R-Us ad, and he’s like, ‘I want this, this, this, this.’ Well, he hands me this tiny piece of paper.”
What did it say? “Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas is a kidney for my Dad.”
Donavin’s father, Chris Fickbohm, has kidney failure from Type 1 diabetes, and his type O negative blood has made finding a transplant extremely difficult. Kristina hopes not only for a miracle Christmas kidney, but also for some financial help.
Even if the family receives an appropriate organ, Chris won’t necessarily be out of the proverbial woods. They could end up facing medical bills of up to $500,000.
One can only hope that a girl from Florida who was visiting the Tar Heel State will get a similar gift. WLOS reported that a Franklin, North Carolina, Lowe’s got a heartbreaking note in its Santa’s Mailbox.
These mailboxes are normally just a sentimental nod to the season, but this missive highlighted one family’s terrible dilemma. “Some may not believe in you,” the letter to Santa read.
“But I do. One thing I really want for Christmas is my big brother to get a kidney transplant. PLEASE.”
The letter devastated customers who learned of it. Pam Wallace said, “It just makes me want to cry that kids ask for so much these days, and you have a kid that all they want is a kidney for their brother.”
Andi McNair added, “Knowing that your letter is going to Santa Claus and that he’s going to bring you anything you want and to ask for something that important for someone else just means so much. It’s definitely the true meaning of Christmas, for sure.”
Store associate manager Shelly Thomas hopes that the letter will do more than merely wet some eyes. “Hopefully, get a little bit of interest in some folks getting tested and show how important it really is,” she said.
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