It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in one neighbourhood in Concord, North Carolina. The weather gives it away that it’s a couple of month’s away but the residents here have their Christmas lights and decorations out already. They have decided to bring the holiday cheer a little early because it is their neighbour and friend’s favourite holiday. Michelle Fadel has stage 4 cancer and doctors have run of options. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. After going through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, she went into remission. The cancer returned three years ago and has now spread to her lungs, bones, and brain. Fadel and her family are conscious she may not make it till Christmas, her favourite time of year. “I love that everyone is cheery, everyone’s together, everything’s lit up, everything’s pretty and you rarely see grumpy people during Christmas,” says Fadel. That is why the family decided to celebrate early, with the neighbourhood following suit.Fadel admitted to her husband she didn’t want to miss out on the special holiday.
Fadel loves playing with her grandkids and having neighbours drop by during the holiday.
Neighbours approached Daniel wanting to know why he was putting up Christmas decorations when it wasn’t even Halloween. He explained that his wife diagnosis was not promising and the family did not know how much time she had left.
“My husband came home one night and said, ‘You gotta see what’s going on outside.’ We walked out there and hugged our neighbours and cried,” she says. “I told them how much it meant to us to have them decorate. It’s just really pretty and knowing why they’re doing it is so special to us.”
Despite the warm weather, the carolers wore Christmas sweaters and Santa hats. “It was tear-jerking, it honestly was. We were so blessed that they loved us that much — we could feel their love,” says Fadel.
