Strangers Band Together To Celebrate Halloween With A Terminally Ill Boy
Nick and Kira received news no parent should ever hear, their 5-year-old son, Alexandros Hurdakis, had terminal cancer.
Alexandros wasn't scared, though. In fact, he had one last wish, to see a haunted house. His parents were shocked when a group of strangers came together to deliver something even better.
Alexandros Hurdakis
Five-year-old Alexandros Hurdakis was diagnosed with ependymoma, a form of cancer that latches onto the brain and spinal cord.
While he fought a hard battle with chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries, it wasn't enough.
One Last Wish
The doctors told Nick and Kira, Alexandros' parents, the young boy probably had a week to live, and they should begin to prepare for the worst.
Their brave son wasn't scared, though. He only wanted one last thing.
He Wanted To See A Haunted House
Alexandros wanted to celebrate Halloween. His wish was to go to the haunted house in Niagara Falls. He wanted to see all of the decorations and monsters.
Sadly, the doctors advised against it, saying it was best to stay close to home.
A Family Friend To The Rescue
The parents were heartbroken they couldn't give their son this one last gift. Thankfully, their family friend, Paula Tzouanakis Anderson, wasn't taking no for an answer.
She hopped on their community Facebook page, asking neighbors for help.
Time To Build A Haunted House!
On the page, Paula explained the situation and asked for simple Halloween decorations to build a haunted house.
If Alexandros couldn't see the haunted house, she was going to help bring one to him!
The Community Was All In
Little did Paula know that her post was going to be shared and gain traction.
Soon, she had people reaching out left and right, wanting to help in any way they could.
The Local Authorities Got Involved
Eventually, there were so many people planning Alexandros's haunted house that Paula had to contact the local police station.
Once again, she explained what was happening to her friend's son and asked if they could block off the street for a Halloween block party. The officials were happy to do so!
The Whole Neighborhood Showed Up
On the day of the Halloween party, people paraded down the streets in costumes ranging from Darth Vader to Alexandros's favorite TV show character, the English Bulldog Rubble from Paw Patrol.
There were even face painters and cotton candy vendors who came out to celebrate!
1,000 People Came Out To Celebrate
After all of the noise on the Facebook page, Paula expected a few hundred people to show up to the festivities.
To her surprise, about 1,000 people came dressed up to show their support for the young boy.
Emotions Ran Wild
Speaking to CBS, Paula said, "I started crying."
"So many individuals came together to make this night great." Alexandros's parents couldn't believe it, either. They were so grateful to everyone who made the day special for their son.
There Were No Words For The Amount Of Love
Nick told CBS, "We never expected so many people to help out. It was something else. There are no words."
Even though their son was only five, Paula had a feeling he knew the party was for him.
Alexandros Was Saying Hi To Everyone
According to Paula, "[Alex] was waving to every single person in the crowd. He knew it was for him. You could see the love in his eyes."
Even though he was tired, Alexandros had the best time.
People Began Donating To The Family
Even after the Halloween party came to an end, the people of the community didn't stop giving the family an outpouring of love.
Many donated to their GoFundMe page, hoping even the tiniest donation would help with medical expenses.
A Day Full Of Magic
Halloween is a magical time, especially for children who can dress up as mythical creatures, their favorite characters, or even their heroes.
But, having a community come together for a little boy was the most magical aspect of all.
