Community helps girl's wish for a magical Christmas display come true
SUDBURY - The lights and decorations were on full display outside of Nev Del Corazon's Sudbury home.
The 5-year-old has been through more than most face in a lifetime. Nev was born with a heart defect and had her first surgery at a week old. From there, doctors diagnosed her with cystic fibrosis - the combination of the two making it tough for the newborn who had a pacemaker installed that she fully relies on. Nev also has a G-Tube to help digest enough nutrients.
"She has been through a lot," said Nev's mother, Desire Montano. "I think it's like four surgeries now."
Those surgeries brought the family to Boston. Montano had served in the Navy for five years and was stationed in Virginia. The family recently moved to Sudbury, and it marked the first time Nev had a home with a yard, just like every other home in the neighborhood. It was around Halloween when Nev noticed other people's yards were decorated for the holiday and hers was not. Like so many families, money was tight this year. But Nev's mother knew something had to be done for Christmas, so she wrote a post to an online community message board asking for help. The replies were almost instant.
Kori Stephens was one of the first to step up and jump into action. Stephens lives in a neighboring community and headed to her local Home Depot to ask for help.
"I just thought used stuff wasn't going to be enough, we need to do more for this little girl and make it really special," Stephens said.
Erik Soel is the operations manager at the Home Depot. He said he didn't question it for a second.
"When they came to us and told us the story about what was happening, especially as a father of a 3 and 1-year-old, it really hit home," Soel said.
Between Home Depot, the Harvard Alpaca Ranch, and community members, thousands of dollars' worth of lights and decorations were strung all over the house and lawn. Just as Nev imagined it.
"It's amazing," said Nev. "And when you look on the roof it looks beautiful."
For Nev's parents, it means more than they could articulate. A smile on their 5-year-old's face thanks to a community that supports her.
"It's amazing, we really didn't expect it," said Nev's father Manuel Delgado.
"I am really thankful that these people care about people that are not in their family," Montano said. "It's beyond that, it's a community."
