Photo: Clint Patterson | Unsplash
Alexandros Hurdakis of Ontario, Canada, was less than a year old when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Recently, the Hurdakises were told there was nothing more doctors could do to save their son, now 5. The treatments that had kept Alex alive were failing and the boy had only days or weeks left to live. The boy's parents wanted to make his remaining time as meaningful as possible and asked what he wanted to experience. His answer: Halloween, specifically monsters. When a close friend came by to visit the family and learned of Alex's desire, she made it her mission to bring Halloween to the family. She posted on Facebook; the post was soon flooded with comments from strangers and almost immediately. "My inbox exploded," said family friend Paula Tzouanakis Anderson. 500 people replied to the Facebook event she created and roughly 1,000 showed up in costume for the parade that Tzouanakis Anderson organized. The Hurdakis family was floored by the community support. "It was surprising and amazing. We never expected something like this. It was beautiful, said Alex's father, Nick Hurdakis. Hurdakis said he and his family felt carried by the community; amidst the most painful point in his life, Hurdakis and his family are feeling gratitude for all of the support.
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