Hundreds of people gathered on Fountain Green’s Main Street Tuesday night to watch the parade of floats residents put together in honor of Addie Fausett.
Community members swayed by the Christmas spirit felt compelled to do what they could to put a smile on the brave girl’s face.
"I think it has changed the way people think about Christmas in this little town,” said resident Nathan Beck who built two floats for the event with his family. “It has kind of restored my faith in humanity, to see so many people pull together with this tiny little girl and this tiny little town.”
They were happy to be there for little Addie.
“I just worked with what I had, bought a few lights made a little float for her, put her name on it,” said resident Jerry Beck. “We love her.”
Fausset watched the floats with her sisters and mother from in front of the town’s post office, where she also received cards, toys and monetary gifts from people she and her family don’t even know.
— Aaron Worthing (@AaronWorthing) December 25, 2014
The majority of the toys were donated to local charities to help other families in need this Christmas.
With tears in her eyes, Addie’s mother Tami was appreciative to see so many people participate in and support the parade.
"I think it is really awesome that so many people want to come and do this, and so many people showed up to watch as well,” she said.
The family thanked everyone for “helping make memories from this Christmas that will last forever.”
To put a smile on Addie’s face on what could be her last Christmas, her grandparents asked friends and community members on Facebook to send her Christmas cards that she could hang up on her bedroom walls. The request went viral and she received a mountain of 300,000 cards from family, friends, and strangers from all over the world, swamping the Fountain Green post office with mail. Neighboring post offices had to step in sort out the mail and get it delivered to the girl.
In addition to the cards and toys, Addie received charity donations from Please Grove Police Department.
“We donate every year to a charity, and I wanted to donate to this charity because it touched my heart,” officer Nakell Humes said. “The story touched my heart and I wanted to help the family out.”
Humes and her fellow officers picked up cards and letters for Addie at local schools, as well as from Pleasant Grove residents and businesses.
The Fausett family plans to use the money to take Addie to Sea World in San Diego in the new year.
