97.1 ZHT's Secret Santa is back to help those in need thanks to Low Book Sales. For many, the holidays are a tough time of year emotionally and financially. Do you know someone who could use a little holiday cheer? Whether it's presents for someone's children, helping a neighbor with a recent tragedy or paying a past due bill to turn back on the heat, we'd like to help. We hope to fulfill as many wishes as possible.
If you're also someone who would like to help, let us know how or what you'd like to donate. Together, we can make this a Merry Christmas for all.
I would like to submit the Pack Family for Secret Santa. The Pack Family consists of Mom: Kelly, Dad: Ryan, The cutest little boy named Finn, and a sweet little Angel named Colum.
Last year on Christmas Eve, the Pack Family was driving home from a Christmas Party, when they were hit head on by a substance impaired driver. It was a devastating head on collision.
As a result of the accident, the family had to say goodybye to their 18 month old baby boy Colum on Christmas Day. Three year old Finn spent a few days in the hospital. Kelly & Ryan's injuries were very severe. They both faced multiple surgeries and are still involved with physical therapy. Ryan was in the hospital for about 6 weeks, and Kelly was in the hospital for about 10 weeks. Both of them received injuries that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
To add insult to injury, the family found out that the driver that hit them was uninsured. On top of the unimaginable trials they had already been through, this put an even bigger burden on the family.
The Pack Family has been a tremendous example to me and my family through this past year. Their tragedy has taught me (and so many others) so much about treausring our loved ones, enjoying the journey of life, and overcoming tremendous obstacles while still displaying a smile & a warm heart.
This Christmas will be so bitter sweet for the Pack's, as they will be forced to emotionally relive saying goodbye to their son on a day that is supposed to bring peace and happiness. Secret Santa would surely add some joy and holiday spirit to this wonderful and deserving family.
This past July, we started to get to know a very quiet family in our Riverton community. Josh Milligan was drafted on our little league football team and he instantly started to show his talents. His mom, Kim, was one of his biggest supporters and fans. She would come watch him practice and she was at all of his games. Kim was very quiet; she just liked to watch Josh. She was always smiling and we could see the love she had for son.
In the next few months, our team grew closer and the boys and parents became friends. It was amazing to see these 8 and 9-year-old boys accomplish so much in one season.
On November 5th, Kim Milligan passed away suddenly and left her husband Jim and their 5 beautiful children. During this time, the family stayed stronger than anyone could believe and showed all of us the real meaning of love, courage, family and blessings.
We were told by an Uncle that Josh and his older sister were the ones who kept all of the adults together. Their faith and their courage made everyone around them stronger.
The week of Kim's passing, Jim was determined to keep Josh active. He made sure Josh, came to practice and Josh still played in our Championship game that Saturday.
It was an amazing experience for all of Josh's teammates and parents to see his dedication and hard work. The support from his Dad and family was beyond amazing.
In a time when a family was suffering a great loss, they were the ones teaching everyone on our team some real life lessons. Each of our lives were touched and blessed by the Milligan family this year.
We wanted to show them how much we appreciate being in their lives and contacted 97.1 ZHT hoping to spread a little joy.
We hope Jim and the kids will have a little time to get out and have some family fun.
To Jim and the kids: Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your football family.
I went to school with a girl named Janette Baron. We graduated and our lives went different directions. Recently she was diagnosed with AL leukemia. Her husband was trying to go to school and finish, so they could have their dreams come true and be his wife's caretaker while she was in and out of hospitals. She had undergone three bone marrow transplants and the last one seemed to have taken. She went to the DR. and they said that something was wrong and that they were going to try an alternative treatment. She became ill just before Thanksgiving and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. She passed away on Thanksgiving in her husbands arms with her family around her. She left behind her husband Marc, who just finished up his schooling, and two little boys, Connor and Braydon. They have a mountain of medical bills and other day to day bills that could use a helping hand. Marc not having to worry about getting Christmas for his little boys after such a traumatic event crumb ling their world would be a true Christmas Miracle for this more than deserving family.
Thanks,
Angie
Thanks so much for what you did for Nielsens yeasterday. Austin is still talking about how cool it was that he got ot be on the radio and that people cared about his family. That totally worked out! People in the neighborhood who missed it are logging on to hear it for themselves. He is quite the celebrity now. I asked him how he was able to get out of school and he said he had to pursuade mom that he just needed a day with them (so sweet). I appreciate it very much and (on a side note) I also appreciate that 97.1 is so positive and fun in the morning. It was wonderful to work on this with all of you!
Merry Christmas!
-Amanda Petersen
Dear Friends at ZHT Morning Zoo,
I have a friend named Tanner and he is 8 years old. In the middle of November he was re-diagnosed with childhood lukemia and since that time, he and his mother Megan have been at Primary Childrens Medical Center. Unfortunately, this is not Tanner's first experience/battle with cancer. His father lives in Minnesota and so his mom is essentially a single mom to Tanner (8) and his two older brothers, Austin (12) and Noah (10). This entire experience has taken a physical and emotional toll on this little family, as well as friends and neighbors who are praying for his recovery. We all WISH so many wonderful things for this family and it's hard to see them go through this again.
Megan and Tanner have consistently been at Primary Childrens with Tanners chemotherapy since mid-november and it is expected that they will need to stay through December. With everything else going on, I don't think Megan has had any time to consider what Christmas will hold for her family. I know that having Tanner home and healthy again would be the greatest gift there is, but in some small way I would like to surprise them with a little something extra to bring about the true spirit of giving. Maybe you can help make this Christmas a bit merrier for them! Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
-Amanda Petersen
My sweet friend Tasha lost her husband on November 17, 2012 while he was doing what he loved. Duck hunting out on the great salt lake. This tragedy has taken a toll on her. Not only was there no medical insurance but there was no insurance policy and things are starting to pile up. He leaves her behind along with their sweet children Brynnlee who is 4 and Brody who is 11 months old. Its been one thing after another for this cute little family. With all this change going on around her I'd like nothing more than for her and her children to continue to believe in the magic of Christmas and there is still good in the world. Thank you for your time. - Sue
I would like to nominate a family in need this Christmas. Many of you probably heard of the 2 duck hunters who died on the Great Salt Lake On November 17th. Well one of those men (Logan Hardman)left behind a 23 year old wife and 2 kids. Though I do not know her well I do know several of her family members and have been touched by them several times. They are an amazing group of people. While attending the funeral I learned that this man was also an amazing human being. He and his 2 friends were duck hunting when a storm rolled in. Their boat capsized and Logan's friend began to panic because he wasn't a very good swimmer. Logan refused leave his friend and they stayed behind while their other friend swam over an hour and a half to get to shore and send help. A masive search and rescue followed and they were eventually found dead. Even in his last moments he was thinking of someone else. That's just the type of family they are. Logan Married his wife Natasha a few years ago . She had a little girl named Brynlee and he eventually adopted her. she is 4 years old. Together they have a little boy named brody who is 11 months old. I am asking for help for this amazing young family. Natasha has been so strong through everything. Logan did have a life insurance policy but unfortunately it was not set to kick in until January. I wish so much that I had the means to help them but I don't and I know they have a very long and hard road ahead of them. Thank you for your time. I hope that together we can provide a wonderful Christmas for this sweet family.
Lyndsie Despain
This time of year really makes us think about what we are thankful for. Lindsay & I feel so blessed to have healthy, happy families & friends. Unfortunately not everyone is as lucky as we are. Our friend Brian Clark, (friends since Jr. High) and his wife Bri have a 7 year old daughter named Kinlee who is suffering from a rare bone marrow disorder called Aplastic Anemia; basically her antibodies attack her red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets & bone marrow. She has already had one bone marrow transplant in 2010 causing her to miss kindergarten. Things went well for Kinlee for 2 years until last month when her same symptoms returned. Her previous bone marrow transplant has failed & she is going to have to have another transplant within the next couple of weeks. We didn't realize until recently that the expenses incured with last bone marrow transplant in 2010 almost caused the family to lose their home. We know that with this upcoming transplant that the family will not have much left over to provide Kinlee or their 2 other kids with much of a Christmas. Please help give this deserving family something positive to focus on in this very hard time in their lives.
Levi is a highway patrol officer and his wife is a teacher at the Peak for Gymnastics.
On November 15th Tayton along with 4 other boys was burned by Gasoline when walking home from school. His injuries were the most severe of any of the boys and we are hoping he can be home by Christmas. Although Dr\'s are saying not to put a time frame on his recovery. As you can imagine Taytons family has a lot on their plate. Every minute can be different in the burn unit and the pain and stress and heartbreak associated with watching your child go through this is unimaginable. Tayton's mother Kali is so strong and so positive and is an inspiration to so many.
My son was also injured from this incident and while he was in the burn unit (5 days) Kali was what got me through, every time I would feel like I was breaking down and couldn't handle the task of being strong, Kali would magically appear at our room to check on me and my son and tell him how great he was doing and how strong he was, She was my angel.
No parent should ever have to see their child endure the things that poor Tayton has, as well as trying to be strong and keep calm for her unborn child and young daughter, Kali and Levi are the reason their sweet little boy is so strong. He is able to fight because they are there to hold him up.
I do not know the cost of Tayton's medical bills, but I do know that Kali is unable to work and she is staying at the Ronald Mcdonald house near the hospital so she can spend every minute with her little guy, that means a lot of back and forth trips for her as well as her husband and family so she can see her daughter etc. The drive from Perry to the U of U burn center is over an hour one way and gas for that daily trip is very expensive, not to mention meals and anything else that may be needed in daily life.
I want to submit the Winward family because they each hold such a special place in my heart and I would like to give back some peace and reassurance like Kali did for me.
I have been listening to your show for years and I know this families story will mean as much to you as it does to me and our whole community. Please let me know if there is anything else you need from me or if you can make this happen for them.
The family I am submitting is for Amy Cottrell and her 4 kids (Noah, Eelen, Addie, Jill).
Amy's husband, Ben, unexpectedly passed away on the night of November 18th leaving Amy and their 4 children behind. My heart sank upon hearing this news and my thoughts immediately turned to the holidays and the financial and emotional strain that would be put on Amy with Ben's passing. That is why I am coming to you in the hopes that you can help these kids to be able to have a glimmer of happiness for the holidays and for Amy to have a little less stress as well.
Ben and Amy were one of those couples the ones that when you meet them you just knew they were meant for each other. They not only have so much love for each other, but for those around them. Spending an evening with this couple always left you in a smile. I can't imagine the pain Amy and her kids are going through especially having their husband/best friend/father taken away so close to the holidays.
Ben and Amy have helped us (and so many others) on numerous occasions and I don't know anyone more deserving then her to receive a visit from Secret Santa. I hope you can help them out and bring a bit of happiness back to the Holidays for them this year.
Thank you for considering this most deserving family.
My niece and her family have suffered the worst lost, her 4year old Wyatt passed away 2 months ago, this will be there first Christmas without him, she has two wonderful girls who loved their brother so much that when you ask them what they would like they just look, my niece told me they had been without for so long because all the special care needed was for their little brother but they didn't mind. My niece is so lost and hurting at this time that there are no words to comfort a mother and father who have lost there child, with all of the pain they are going through she didn't realize that time had ran out for toys for tots, we don't have much to give them but alot of love, she is not working at this time and neither is her husband, they all have gone without for along time, because they were caring for Wyatt, which she didn't mind doing without so long as Wyatt was taken care of.They are still going through the greiving phase which all of us know is the worst pain. M iriam, Kyle, Audry 12, and Lexie 10 have had it hard, My niece Miriam has Hypertension and Kidney Disease I know they deserve some kind of Christmas. I hope you can help this family.
I would like to submit a wish for my 34 year old daughter Meshell. Meshell is a single mother of 4 children. Their ages range from 4 years old to 17 years old. If I had the means, I would help her out but I don't. I am hoping 97.1ZHT can be her secret Santa this year. I know it probably seems a bit biased receiving a request from her mother. But if you asked anyone, including neighbors, co-workers, friends and even strangers, you would hear the same things about her. She is one of the most caring and generous person around. Despite her busy schedule with work and four children, she still manages to plan and carry out several charity events on a consistent basis for local agencies such as the YWCA and even for strangers that have suffered from loss due to fires, death or job loss. She will rally and volunteer to help out anyone in need. Even if it means suffering financially on her end to do so. Meshell has overcome so many struggles in her own life such as the loss of a 4 year old son, domestic violence and recently having to cover a cornea transplant for her eldest son. She has never been afraid to work hard to make ends meet and has worked multiple jobs at once, several times throughout her life in order to allow her kids to experience things I was not able to offer her as a mother. When I asked her what her plans were this year for the holidays, she told me something that brought tears to my eyes. She stated "Mother, don't worry about me or the kids. You can come help us on Christmas, we plan to make, package and serve warm soup to the homeless downtown. The kids are really excited about it and not expecting any gifts." She is also planning a holiday event with a group of friends and has spent countless hours of time planning as well as her own money to supply children at the local YWCA with stockings, gifts and holiday activities. She does all these things to teach her children values that I wish more people had in this w orld. I am a very proud mother.
Although she requested that I not worry about her children, I am reaching out to you for help. They are wonderful kids that consistently make honor roll in school and volunteer their own time to help those who are in need. I am hoping you can assist me in offering some sort of token of appreciation for all their hard work and caring throughout the years.
I am submitting the Mendiola family. This year on May 10th Jesus was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. He is was given approx, 1 year to live. As time went on Jesus got worse and his life ended on September 4th, 2012. He was only 44 years old left behind his wife Rosie, 3 beautiful daughters Karen, Denisse and Mitzi. Rosie didn't work because Jose was able to provide for them. Now Rosie is working minimin wage and trying to provide for her and her daughters. Jesus was diagnosised with Cancer on their 20 year Anniversary and his birthday in on Christmas day. Secret Santa would be a blessing and hopeful lift the load on Rosie's shoulders.Christmas will be a hard time for their family especially because it's would have been Jesus's birthday, their beloved husband and Daddy. Please help make this Christmas a happy day for this AMAZING family!!
Mike has always been the healthiest guy I know. Constantly exercising and eating healthy. He even chose healthcare as a career, working in the shock trauma ICU as a nurse. A few years ago he found a mole on his neck that was strange. It was determined to be melanoma and removed. After that surgery the doctor said he had a 95% chance that would be the end of it.
Two years ago, he decided to pursue a degree in nurse anesthesiology at USC. He knew it would take a toll on his young family but felt the effort and sacrifice would be worth it in the long run and make a better life for his family. After finishing up at USC in August, he came home to Utah to study for and take his boards before heading to Arizona where he'd been offered a position.
Two days after passing his boards he woke up with a headache so bad he was throwing up. So he and his wife went to the Emergency room. They found a tumor on his brain and scheduled surgery for the next morning. The tumor was metastatic melanoma. But they were able to get all of it without getting into his brain tissue. Things looked good and we were all very hopeful. At a follow up appointment two weeks later they did an MRI and found that even though the brain tumor had been removed successfully, there were also stage 4 tumors in his lungs. He was given 10-12 months.
He won't be able to take the job in Arizona, he has a large amount of student loans and debit from school that he doesn't want to leave his wife and kids to deal with.
Mike is someone who would never ask for anything, even if he needed it. He is a hard worker and always has been. In my entire life, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything negative about him. He is kind and caring. He has always been the kind of brother anyone would like to have. He is very patient and loving. He is an amazing dad and uncle. He has always been the one to get everyone up and moving. Setting up a family game of soccer or trip to the park. He plays with the kids and probably enjoys it just as much as they do. He's always been very dedicated and loyal. He's someone you can count on. He is the definition of good. He is an amazing caregiver, hence, his choice to be a nurse as his profession. He's beyond amazing and deserves this more than anyone I know.
Submission #2
I worked with Mike as a nurse in the Shock Trauma ICU at Intermountain Medical Center. He is the nicest guy!!
This website tells the story.
They sold their house...everything to go to CRNA school. He just finished school and found out he has inoperable stage 4 cancer. He will die and leave his family nothing but school debt. I would love this family\'s last Christmas together to be as wonderful as possible.
I am writing you this letter about one of my dearest friends. Her name is Aimee, she is married to a wonderful man by the name of Dustin together they have 6 beautiful children 3 girls and 3 boys ages range from 4-9 years old.
Dustin has spent the last 4 and a half years working at Kennecott and Aimee has always been a stay at home mom.
After moving into their dream home in July Dustin starting having severe headaches and the doctors kept telling him he was having migraines, rebound headaches, or headaches because he was not getting enough sleep. Dustin kept asking for more test and they said that he just needed more sleep. Finally in October he got a doctor to run a few more test and sure enough the headaches were not migraines, or because he was so tired. Dustin had a brain tumor.
On Monday October 22 Dustin who is 31 years old was diagnosed with brain cancer Glioblastoma the most common most aggressive most lethal form of a brain cancer. After receiving this devastating news Dustin was scheduled for surgery to remove the 6cm X 6cm mass the next day at the University of Utah. After surgery Dustin was able to wake up for a few hours even sit up and communicate with Aimee but the next day Dustin was unresponsive his brain began to swell and bleed. He had taken a turn for the worse....this was not expected to happen.
And the family was unprepared for the direction this battle with cancer was about to take them.
Since Dustin's surgery it has been a roller coaster ride for this family so many high's and low's.... emergency surgery's to place a shunt because of the swelling & bleeding in his brain, to Dustin being able to squeeze Aimee's hand, to placing an emergency TRACH because Dustin stopped breathing. Aimee was in the room when Dustin stopped breathing a day she will never forget!
The doctors called a family meeting and told Aimee she needed to say goodbye to the love of her life her soul mate . And it would be a good idea to bring the children up to the hospital to say goodbye to their daddy~ that there was nothing left they could do to help Dustin. Aimee took the children to the hospital to say goodbye to their daddy. Each child placed a picture of themselves on his chest. Something NO CHILD or Wife should ever have to do.
Dustin has since been transferred to a specialty hospital in Utah County and continues to have highs and lows more highs than lows at this point. Aimee's refuses to give up on her husband she knows he is in there fighting! We have taken on the slogan of NEGU (that means Never Ever Give Up)...Aimee is beyond amazing juggling the role of mom and dad, taking care of the children, the home, and running back and forth to the hospital to be with her husband. This tragedy is beyond heartbreaking for Aimee and it breaks my heart to see one of my best friends suffer so greatly. She has had the help of her mother who has given up her job to help tend the children.
As you can imagine the bills have started to pile up, the late notices are pouring in and the sole provider of this family is in the hospital fighting for his life.
Aimee and Dustin have HUGE HEARTS and have helped so many people when they needed it including me and my girls! The community of Eagle Mountain has rallied around this family and there has been a FB page set up with so many people sending notes of encouragement~BUT I am hoping you can help make this Christmas a little special for this amazing family and maybe ease the pain even if just for a few minutes for these children who are missing their daddy so much!
