A disabled teenager who had 49 surgeries received 500 Christmas cards from strangers – after his mother sent a request on Facebook in an attempt to “cheer him up.”
Nicholas Black, 16, of Deland, Florida, suffers from several serious health problems and has been forced to spend the holidays in a hospice.
This year her mother, Elizabeth, 38, wanted to do something to put her smile back on the holiday season. So she asked for help on social media.
She posted her diagnosis in a few different Facebook groups and asked people to send her cards – and she was shocked at the response she received.
Nice to meet you, Nicholas has now received hundreds of cards in the mail from all over the world – which “really brightened up his day” and “gave him something to look forward to.”
Disabled teenager who underwent 49 surgeries received 500 Christmas cards from strangers – after his mother made a request on Facebook in an attempt to ‘cheer him up’
Nicholas Black, 16, of Deland, Florida, suffers from several serious health problems and has been forced to spend the holidays in a hospice. He is pictured in 2018
When he was a baby he was diagnosed with scoliosis, hydrocephalus, syringomyelia and Chiari malformation and now he needs 24/7 medical attention. He is pictured at Halloween in 2016
This year his mother, Elizabeth, 38, wanted to do something to make him smile over the holiday season. So she asked for help on social media. They are pictured together in 2019
Elizabeth, a single stay-at-home mom, said it was a “wonderful” surprise for her son and she “put a big smile on his face” when he needed it most.
She explained, “Nicholas loves it when the postman brings him mail, so I thought it would be cool to put our address there and see what people are sending.
“He can be very depressed and it’s so hard to watch him go through that and I was hoping that would cheer him up.
“I never expected so many cards – I expected him to get maybe three cards a day – but he has over 30 to open every day!”
“It put a huge smile on her face – it really brightens her day and gives her something to look forward to.”
When he was a baby, Nicholas was diagnosed with scoliosis, hydrocephalus, syringomyelia and Chiari malformation.
The conditions mean he is unable to walk and must have a constant supply of oxygen – so he lives in a home hospice under the care of doctors and nurses 24/7.
She posted her diagnosis in a few different Facebook groups and asked people to send her cards – and she was shocked at the response she received. They are pictured in 2016
Nicholas has now received hundreds of cards from all over the world – which “really brightened up his day” and “gave him something to look forward to”
The teenager has had 49 surgeries in his lifetime and cannot attend school. Elizabeth therefore stated that he did not have many friends and was often “depressed”. He is pictured in November 2020
Elizabeth said receiving the mail in the morning had become “something he looked forward to every day” and gave him the boost he needed. He is pictured in 2018
The teenager has had 49 surgeries in his lifetime and cannot attend school. Elizabeth therefore stated that he did not have many friends and was often “depressed”.
Besides the hundreds of cards, Nicholas also received freebies – like wrestling figures – because he loves watching sports.
They came from all over – including the UK, Puerto Rico, Italy, Australia and Canada.
Elizabeth said receiving the mail in the morning had become “something he looked forward to every day” and gave him the boost he needed.
“We didn’t expect so many people to want to send one, but it has been wonderful. The people are really amazing, I am eternally grateful, ”she added.
Cards can be mailed to: Nicholas Black, 924 1/2 North Amelia Ave. Deland, Florida 32724.
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