Patti Elliot smiles, seeing the excitement on her son’s face. Normally, 18-year-old Riley Pfannenstiel, who is struggling with a malignant brain tumor, has to lay on the couch, conserving his energy. But tonight, December 24, he sits on the edge of the hearth, his eyes shining, his coat zipped. He has already double-checked to make sure […]
‘The elves are here:’ Topeka teen battling cancer delivers gifts to children facing serious chronic illnesses Riley Pfannenstiel is ‘inspiring,’ recipient says Riley Pfannenstiel, 18, and his mother Patti Elliott load up gifts on Christmas Eve to deliver to three Topeka families with a child battling a serious illness. In December 2016, Pfannenstiel was diagnosed
Crysta Baier felt a sense of well-being as she stepped into the luxury limo with her family. Her 13-year-old daughter Ally looked particularly happy and her husband and 16-year-old son also seemed relaxed. Their dinner at an elegant restaurant and this limo tour of the Kansas City holiday lights was a wonderful gift from The
A thirteen-year-old wants a private place of her own.
A Bedroom for Hannah Read More »
A thirteen-year-old wants a private place of her own The room is beach-themed with peach-colored walls and blue and tan throw pillows — “Life is better at the beach,” one says — and it’s waiting for her. For 13 years, Hannah Viens has shared a room with her three sisters in the finished basement of
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A football fan gives us all some good advise Amy Smith smiled as her 13-year-old son Sam raced down the field, holding tight to the football. He seemed to glow as he ran, his whole being immersed in his favorite sport. It was October 2011, at Summit Lakes Middle School, and Amy stood in the
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He dreamed of becoming a garbage man. Wearing a Kansas Jayhawk basketball jersey, 6-year-old Dagen Korynta showed his deadeye Thursday afternoon as he drained repeated shots through a goal suspended from a small backboard above the family home’s front door. He’s a big KU fan, his mother, Heather Korynta, said — a statement Dagen proved
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Janna Lopez’s stomach clenched as she answered the phone. Children’s Mercy Hospital was calling and she prayed it wasn’t bad news. “Your daughter Caroline has been chosen to receive a special Christmas gift,” the hospital social worker told Janna. Janna dabbed at her eyes, grateful for any good luck. She peppered the women with questions.
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A 6-year-old is whisked to the North Pole to meet Santa
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