Secret Santa Surprises Dad Who Battled C.a.n.c.e.r with Health Insurance and $50,000
With the busy festive period in full swing most of us are caught up in the rush of getting everything we need for the big day.
It’s an expensive time of year and the strain can put a lot of added pressure on those families who are already struggling to just keep a roof over their heads.
The Crow family had suffered a string of hardships which began when dad Brad suffered an injury working on their dream home, which led to his leg being a.m.p.u.t.a.t.e.d.
As a result he was forced to take a year off work leaving his wife as the sole breadwinner working as a school bus driver.
When he was 14, Brad was diagnosed with a rare bone c.a.n.c.e.r called osteosarcoma. He had to undergo harsh rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.
Last summer, he and Erica decided they would build their dream home. They first built a workshop on the property with the hopes of staying in there temporarily as they finished construction.
But disaster struck, and Brad f.r.a.c.t.u.r.e.d his leg while building. The injury eventually progressed and he needed to have surgery to replace the bone. Even though he was recovering well, he developed a staph infection and began fighting for his life soon after. Brad had to have his leg a.m.p.u.t.a.t.e.d.
Brad had that leg amputated this spring and a hip replaced shortly after, and is now facing another hip replacement. “I almost d.i.e.d a few times, it was pretty scary,” he said.
As a result of the medical complications and recovery time, Brad has been out of work for nearly a year-and-a-half, leaving the family in financial hardship despite Erica’s continued career as a school bus driver.
Life was a a real struggle for the Crow family, from Idaho, until a Secret Santa showed up one day with a surprise that would turn their lives around in ways they never expected.
It was a struggle that their family couldn’t ignore, and Erica’s sister contacted their local news station to appeal for help for the couple through its Secret Santa program.
Brad and Erica Crow were surprised with health insurance for a year and $50,000 to go toward building their dream home by the eagle-eyed reporters of EastIdahoNews.com. The life-changing gift was part of the team’s annual Secret Santa series, in which they surprise locals in need of help over the holiday season.
“We’re just taking it one day at a time and this is an awesome day,” Brad said through tears as he and his wife unwrapped the present.
Through it all, the Crows say their positive attitude and faith in God has helped them continue fighting as a family.
Source: news4jax.com, en.stories.newsner.com
