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ROTTERDAM, N.Y. — A little girl who lost her entire family in a fire has a short Christmas list this year, and strangers from around the world are working hard to make sure her wish is granted.
Safyre Terry suffered burns across 75 percent of her body in a fire at her home that killed her father and three younger siblings two years ago. Firefighters found Safyre — who was just 5 years old at the time — shielded under her father, who died trying to protect her. The incident was later discovered to be arson.
Since the fire, she's undergone multiple surgeries and lost a foot and a hand, according to BuzzFeed News.
Safyre now lives with her aunt, Liz Dolder. When Dolder brought home a tree that holds Christmas cards, Safyre couldn't wait to fill it up.
"My response was, 'Hunny, that's probably not going to happen,'" Dolder told Buzzfeed. "We maybe get 10 cards a year, and the card tree holds 100."
But then Dolder got an idea — she posted a plea to Facebook, requesting cards for Safyre. Friends and family quickly spread the word with their own posts, and the message has been liked and shared thousands of times since.
"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," one reads.
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 Snapshot Clark on Friday, December 4, 2015
Cards have been filling Safyre's mailbox ever since. Messages of hope, love and support continue to stream in from across the country and around the world.
"She's going to need a bigger tree," wrote one Facebook supporter.
The campaign spread to Imgur as well, with a post that's been viewed more than 120,000 times.
"Let's make this little girl's Christmas wish come true," it reads. "Please take a few minutes and send a Christmas card her way. She will love receiving cards from all over the world."
Local and national news outlets have picked up Safyre's story, and her friends and supporters hope that by the end of December, she'll have more cards than she knows what to do with.
If you'd like to join the campaign and send a card to Safyre, address your message to: P.O. Box 6126, Schenectady, NY 12306.
