Safyre Terry suffered burns on more than 75 percent of her body in a fire that killed her siblings and father. (YouCaring)
A New York girl who survived a horrific fire that killed her father and siblings is inspiring holiday spirit this year with a simple Christmas wish. Safyre Terry, who survived the 2013 arson but suffered burns on more than 75 percent of her body, has made a wish to receive enough holiday cards to fill up a Christmas tree.
The 8-year-old had her wish granted after a family friend, Kevin Clark, posted this message on Facebook:
I wonder how many of my friends would take the time to write and send Safyre a Merry Christmas card that she can hang on her card tree....Safyre P.O. Box 6126Schenectady NY 12306
Posted by Kevin Clark on Friday, December 4, 2015
Safyre’s aunt, Liz Dolder, who took custody of the child after the tragedy, told FoxNews.com that the attention has been “overwhelming.”
Dolder also said that while the family is appreciative of peoples’ generosity, she wants to make sure other children in need are not overlooked.
“I want people to keep in mind there’s other kids that need attention— children in the hospital, children that need winter coats, donate to domestic violence shelters or homeless shelters,” she said. “We want to have other children experience the same joy Safyre is now.”
As Safyre's wish goes viral, the family’s fundraising YouCaring.com site has raised over $200,000, and she has received Christmas cards from all over the United States.
Dolder is also mindful about making sure Safyre is prepared for the challenges she will face after the attention fades.
“We don’t want to sugarcoat her situation,” she said. “We want her to be tough and have confidence. We are preparing her for the world.”