Secret Santa Sightings:
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| Heidi Gomez & family | | | |
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This will sound like the “typical homeless family” story, however, when a young 6 year old has been diagnosed with very serious mental health issues that affect the entire family, it is not so typical.
This family is homeless and living on the streets. The family consists of a mother and 3 children. Because it is so cold, the children are currently staying with grandparents at night so they are out of the cold. Mother cannot stay with them because the landlord has determined “too many people” are in the rented house. The children have been given permission to sleep there because of the winter season. Mom moves from couch to couch of friends for her sleeping space. The 3 children, ages 9, 6, and 3, sleep in two twin beds. The two boys share the twin bed because that is all the space and furniture available.
The grandparents live on a minimal income. They do the best they can to help support these children. Their greatest contribution to this family is the love and stability they are trying to provide. The school is helping with free breakfast and lunch, warm coats, boots, hats and gloves. Many hours of support have been donated by teachers, office staff, principal, social worker and counselor to assist in the success of this family.
Lots of concern and support are needed for one of the boys. He is only six and has been diagnosed with horrific mental illness issues. He requires a large variety of medication and counseling to help him function. Mom has to be available to the school and this child most of the time. This makes it very difficult for mom to hold a job. Because of the efforts of many special people, this little boy is finally able to function in school. Although he is significantly behind in his academics, he is now able to learn the skills most children learn as preschoolers.
This family doing everything they can at this time to survive with dignity, self worth, and perseverance.
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| Mike | | | |
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I am submitting my brothers family for the secret santa this year. My
brother Mike is a very hard working dedicated police officer and family
man. He goes on little sleep a night with the 3 jobs he works to support
his family. My brother has a wife and 3 kids at home. He recently had to
take a pay cut to go into a different division at the police department.
He was K9 officer but had to retire his dog due to arthritis. HIs wife
does not work due to the fact that she cares for there son who has
muscular dystrophy. So they have a lot of medical bills as well as there
everyday bills. Just recently on Thanksgiving his wife fell off a ladder
and broke her tibila. So now with a wife that can't do much and him
having to some time off to help her out Christmas is going to be tough
this year. So please grant them a wish this year and make there
Christmas wonderful!
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| Shay | | | |
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This girl just needs a break in life or at least a little relief from it. Shay has 4 children 3 who still live with her under the age of 18. Shay's second daughter has down syndrome. 3 weeks ago Shay's husband of 18 years died suddenly while lying on the couch with there
8 year old son. He had surgery a month before and they say that he died from a blood clot that went to his lungs. Very unexpected and very quick. Shay has been a childhood friend of mine and always the under dog. Her father left her family with 6 small children. Shay's 16 year old daughter is really struggling and I would just like to see some joy come there way for the holidays.
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| Joseph | | | |
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My friend Joseph has had quite a rough year. It started off with him losing his job, and around the same time his marriage ended. he has their 5 children and they lost their house.
Joseph miraculously made an agreement with a man to do trade work in exchange for rent of this house that this man owned. 3 days after moving in there was a note on the door saying the house was foreclosed. Fannie Mae has contacted him, and offered to relocate him, and after reading the tediously worded contract to relocate, he discovered that they would actually not relocate him if the house was not in tip top shape. there are no doors on the cupboards. the VCT tile is peeling up. (VCT has asbestos in it) The man that owned the house before it was foreclosed on, came over and took ALL of the appliances. He has no stove, no fridge, no washer, no dryer. He prepares food on a propane stove for camping.
most nights his children go to bed after eating rice and cream of mushroom soup. Fannie Mae contacted him last week to inform him that he needed to be out of the house by the 16 of December. He does not even know where his family will be for christmas. Joseph still holds it together for his children, reads them stories of far away lands to inspire them to dream. He never complains about his situation, he always starts and finishes his days with, "This is only temporary, Things will get better soon." He is such a wonderful person, even though he is going through such hardships, he still feels the need to give back to the community, so he donates his and his children's time every sunday morning to feed the homeless.
He is the most honorable man I have ever met, and he is so humble. He does not know how he will give christmas to his children. It would be wonderful if you could somehow find the miracle to help this extraordinary family
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| Jamie | | | |
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I'm submitting my sister in law and her two kids. their names are Jamie, jordan and gavin. Jamie is 27 years old jordan is 9 years old and gavin will be 5 years old in december. This family has been through a lot in the past 18 months. jamie got divorced in the spring of last year and shortly after that in october Gavin was diagnosed with nuroblastoma cancer! it is a nerv attacking cancer and it was wrapped around most of his vital organs. they gave him a 15% chance to live!! Gavin has been through extensive rounds of chemo, a 15 hour surgery to remove the tumor and now is about to undergo a bone marrow transplant in the next few weeks!!! he has had an awsome recovery from it so far and we hope to have him around a lot longer!! this young but very strong family has been through a lot of drastic changes in the past 18 months and i believe they could really benefit from this because jamie just got a job about 3 months ago because she was i n the hospital with Gavin!! her older son jordan has had to grow up alot because he has had to watch his little brother go through alot and he has had to stay with relatives while jamie is in the hospital and his dad is at work. We have been amazed at how well they are doing and how positive they are staying!!! we love them very much and hope they keep their spirits high!!!
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| Jaxon,Ashton,Alexia | | | |
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I have the most wonderful family that needs help this year. One of my best friends had a premature baby earlier this year. Due to complications in her pregnancy, she had to make the choice to her deliver her baby 6 weeks early. She spent several weeks traveling between home and the hospital so that she could spend much needed time at the hospital but also be at home to take care of her two young boys. 2 months after they got to bring the baby home from the hospital, they found out that her husband had a life threatening heart condition and required open heart surgery ASAP. After a series of x-rays, EKGs, and tests he had open heart surgery 2 months after their little girl was born. Luckily, Bob has done extremely well after the surgery and is now doing very good. On top of all this, the baby also has been diagnosed with heart problems and several days ago the doctor confirmed that she has same heart problem as her daddy and will most likely require surgery within th e next 6 months or so.
These people are the most caring individuals you will ever meet. I cannot say enough good things about them. Despite both of them working full time jobs, they have lost a vehicle and are struggling to make ends meet because of the piles of medical bills that they have. They have hundreds of thousands of medical bills and I can't imagine how they will provide a Christmas for their children (Jaxon-age 5, Ashton-age 3 and Alexia-age 6 months). Please consider them for Secret Santa, I'll do anything I can to help out. Thank you!
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| Scott & Lucy | | | |
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I would like to nominate my friend Scott and his daughter two year old daughter Lucy for this years secret santa.
This past May Scott's lovely wife Lariann (26) passed away after an almost three year battle with brain cancer. Larrian's brain tumor was first discovered when she was just shy of 20 weeks pregnant with Scott and Lariann's baby girl, their first child. In fact, Lariann and Scott found out the sex of their baby just prior to Lariann's first major surgery to remove the orange size tumor on her brain.
Throughout her pregnancy Lariann underwent Chemo and radiation and was still able to deliver their healthy miracle baby Lucy.
Lariann was a little person with a big heart and a big personality. Throughout her battle with cancer she remained upbeat. She was still the teasing joker everyone knew her to be.
Lariann was laid to rest on what would have been Scott and Lariann's 6th wedding anniversary. It has been a tough and trying year for Scott and his family and I know that this Christmas will be an especially difficult one with Lariann gone.
Scott was a wonderful husband and is a devoted father to little Lucy. Just prior to Lariann's death Scott and Lariann were able to purchase their first home. Now that Scott is a single parent working to support he and Lucy alone he works both as an EMT and also a fire fighter with our local fire station. Despite his challenges he continues to put others before himself on a daily basis.
Anything you can do to lighten Scott's load, ease his burden, and put a smile back on his face would be much appreciated. Not only would it be a gift to Scott and Lucy to receive a little something this holiday season to make this Christmas a special one but it would also be a dream come true for all who know and love Scott, Lucy and Lariann.
Thank you in advance. I love you guys!
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| Lori | | | |
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The family I am submitting for Secret Santa is my aunt and her family. They have been struggling for many years financially and emotionally. Just a few weeks ago my uncle had to be rushed to the emergency room for emergency brain surgery. He had a sinus infection that turned into menengitis and has multiple bacterial abscesses in his brain. He's still in the hospital and in and out of conciousness. Two days ago he had a stroke on the left side of his brain. I feel so bad for my aunt who has tried to hold this family together for so many years. She works so hard to make ends meet. Her 2 little boys don't really understand what's going on. I feel bad for them too, because they know Christmas is coming up. My aunt works a full time job and is also pursuing her Master's Degree. She works hard to make her family happy. She doesn't get the praise she deserves. Please consider them in the Secret Santa. I know this would be such a blessing for all them.
I am writing about my boss at UVU. Her name is Lori and she has two little boys Morgan 5 and hunter 7 living at home as well as her 18 year old son Trevor and her husbands brother named Taylor. Lori is a wonderful and very giving person. She always takes time out of her life to do for others. Helping so many student get into college, ready, and funding. She is a wonderful boss who would never let anyone know that she is in need. She is having such a hard time even making her house payment right now. Recently Lori husband got in a car wreck. Which is been hard but two days after that her husband had emergency Brain surgery. Today he is going in for his 4th surgery on his brain. They do not know what is going on. Why his brain pressure keeps going up and not down. Why his keeps having to have these growths (3 currently) drained. Only one can be drain the other two are in two dangerous areas. She is still coming to work part-time and helping as many students and those in need while she is at work. Today though she has hit down. She is emotionally drained, short of money, and in need of help. Her little boys are worried their daddy is not going to ever come home. She is now beginning to believe this also. She has helped me so much in my life the last two years since losing my husband. She has been one of my greatest supporters as well as my best friend. I would do anything for her but current am just getting by myself so I am not able to help her. Right now worrying about Christmas is one of the least things she needs to worry about. Her sons though are wonderful children and deserve to have a wonderful Christmas. Please help my friend. I can think of no one who deserves it more.
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| The Apple Family | | | |
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We just recently lost my aunt, she was 37 years old, her son is turning 12 this week. how would it be to loose ur mother so early in life! i know its hard, we all just had thanksgiving without her for the very first time and it was very hard. im so sad that he doesnt have her for the holidays. he has told us he wants nothing for his birthday or nothing for christmas, all he wants is for people to help us get a head stone for her. so my help here is to try and get help to get her a headstone and for her son to get a good christmas, that poor kid, it breaks my heart! so if u guys could help him somehow it would be so nice!
Click here to view the certificate provided to the family for the Memorial Marker for their mother & wife. Many thanks to Memorial Mortuaries & Cemeteries for making this possible.
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| Traci & Andy | | | |
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I am submitting my daughter and her family. My daughter, Traci and her husband Andy have 3 beautiful children. They are their worlds and my grandchildren love and adore them. Recently, my daughter was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, she was also diagnosed with diabetes but the heart failure took us all by surprise, she thought that she had pneumonia and went to the ER, but was diagnosed after many horrible tests with heart failure. This has been a devistating blow to our entire family as she is the glue that keeps our family intact. Recently, also, my son-in-law was laid off from his job as a diesel mechanic. That has been another big blow to them. He recently started a new job, the only one he could find fast, but it is with a fast food restaurant and it is only part-time. I literally do not know how they are able to pay their bills or put food on the table for their family. They are not ones who ask for help. They are the ones who are helping others any w ay they can, not taking the help from the ones who most need it. They believe there are others out there who deserve the help and are worse off than they are, also they have a lot of pride. But, I heard your advertisement, and thought to myself, what a perfect way to ease some of the holiday strain and financial hardship on my daughter and son-in-law and make my grand kids happy all at once. I would love it if your radio station could help my daughter and her family out this Christmas, I know it would mean the world to all of them. Thank You for taking the time to read this and do all of the great and giving things you do. God Bless.
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| Stephanie | | | |
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I am submitting my sister's family for Christmas gifts for her children. My sister, Stephanie, has 7 children and 2 stepchildren. Her first 5 children are from her first marriage that ended due to abuse. Her second husband is a great guy who adopted all 5 of her children and stuck with her through breast cancer, surgeries, chemo and reconstruction surgeries that began a year after they were married. They now have 2 more children and her husband was laid off from his mining job with Kennecott a few weeks before last Christmas. He wasn't able to find another job and they went through their savings and cashed out their retirement. My brother-in-law, Ryan, decided to go back to school and train for another job and to avoid additional debt and student loans he joined the Army National Guard. He completed boot camp and his training over the summer and is now back home and enrolled full time at SL Community College. He also works full time but only makes $10 an hour (almos t enough per month to pay their house payment). My sister provides daycare at home to help make ends meet. Keeping their house payment current is their top priority and they sold the car and truck they had payments on. They still have 8 kids at home ages 17 to 1 that will have a very scarce Christmas without help. Both my brothers were laid off around the same time so our family is not in a position to help out much. My sister and her husband deserve some help this Christmas because they are great people and wonderful parents who haven't sat back and looked for an easy way out or for someone else to support them. Ryan didn't look for a government program to pay his bills he joined the military and went back to school. Between work and school he sees very little of his family but would love for them to have a few gifts to open this Christmas. Please help!
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| Eric | | | |
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Eric is a 5th grade student at West Valley Elementary, WVC that is undergoing treatment for a 2nd reoccurance of leukemia at Primary Children's Hospital. Eric's mother stays with him in his hospital room with her 1 week old baby girl, Lila. They are awaiting test results which will tell them whether Lila is a match for Eric, who needs a bone marrow transplant in order to survive. The father was just laid off from his job last week. Grandma just came from Mexico in order to stay with Eric's 14 year old brother. Other than that, they have no family here. The parents lost their house and rent out a basement in a neighbor's home. This family is a good family, with good kids and desperately needs so much help. They will not ask for anything but are so appreciative of whatever help and support they do receive. They do what they have to do to help Eric not give up. Eric will be in the hospital at least another 1 1/2 months; probably longer. This family needs a miracle for Eric. Practically though, they need money for groceries and gas. Diapers and formula for the baby. Christmas for the whole family. Our school, plus my family and friends are helping as much as we can. Anything however small will help, as small blessings put together grow into big blessings. I'm nominating the Mendoza family. We care about Eric; we care about his family. Please also include Eric in prayer.
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| Ashley | |
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I am submitting this request because this year has been a crazy year for my family. My father has gotten very sick he went from 260lbs in march of this year to 120 which is where he stands today,At first the doctors told us he had pancreatic cancer and did not expect him to live long, which we soon found out they had no ground to tell us that is what it was. A surgeon at another hospital told my dad it was cronic pancreatitis and suggested that he have a wipple surgery done which is where they reroute all of your digestive track. This surgery was a 8 hour surgery. And in the end did not do anything for my father, we have gotten second opinion after second opinion about what is going on with my dad, and no one gives us the same answers. over the last 6 months my dad has had 7 or more surgeries. Because my dad is so sick, all he does all day is sleep, for him to get up to go to the bathroom it takes all of his energy. My mom is the only one working in the family. She has been such an amazing women through it all. Working 10 hour days to support the family and then coming home and taking care of my dad. My little brother who is 17 years old has given up his life to make sure my dad is taken care of during the day and has everything he needs. He never complains that he cant go spend time with his friends he just does it. He is amazing.... My dad is just getting worse and this is going to be the last Christmas we have together as a family which is really hard knowing. My parents dont have money to do Christmas for my little brother Christopher or to get their selves anything. I am not worried about me, all i want is to see my little brother get something that he deserves, something that allows him to take his mind off things and just relax. It is the hardest thing to be home day in and day out watching your dad slowly go who has been your best friend.... I am not asking for much, just something to help my amazing mom and brother. And even something to make my dad smile one last time. Thank you for giving me!
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| Lila & Gabby | |
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I would like to submit Lila and Gabby. These are two teenage girls who have had an extraordinary year. They lost their father last Christmas and have experienced several trials extending from this. Lila is a high school senior who maintains an incredible GPA along with hopes of attending college all while working a job to supporting herself & Gabby. Lila was recently awarded custody of Gabby & had to sale her car to make ends meet and afford living expenses. They have an apartment that they share along with ALOT of adult responsibilities while they both attend High school. They deserve to have a Christmas that they otherwise probably would not get without a Secret Santa wish. Please coinsider these sweet girls as a reason for the season..
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| Lindsay & Steve | |
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The family I would like you to consider for Secret Santa is Lindsay, Steven, & Jaren Grover. I use to work with Lindsay and she is the sweetest, kindest person I have ever met. Last weekend, her little baby Jaren was rushed to Primary Children's Hospital. He was diagnosed with Meningitis and the Doctors did not think he was going to make it. However, he is still holding on. They have been at the hospital 24 hours a day watching multiple tests being done on their son, not knowing what would happen. An MRI was done 2 nights ago that the results showed that there is a substantial amount of damage in all areas of little Jaren's brain. The doctors do not know what this will mean for him yet. They said the recovery could be anywhere from full to minimal but to be prepared for the possibility of a ventilator, an inability for Jaren to feed himself, epilepsy, and learning disabilities. Lindsay and Steven are devastated but are staying strong. Jaren will turn one next week on Thanksgiving Day. I am sure they haven't even thought about his birthday, let alone Christmas. I would love to see something good happen for them! Thank you!
Kristin submitted this story on November 19th. Jaren returned to his Heavenly Father on Friday the 20th. You can read the obituary at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hjnews/obituary.aspx?n=jaren-steven-grover&pid=136243447.
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