The Kansas City Star

The Time Capsule

A young history buff finds she’s front-page news in the 22nd century Midmorning Christmas Eve, two pointy-hatted visitors crunched up the snow-covered driveway of 15-year-old Rachel Hoffmanʼs Olathe home. They thumped on the door. “Are you Rachel?” the bigger one asked. Rachel nodded. “Merry Christmas.” The pair pressed a letter into her hands, turned back […]

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The “Honey-Do” List

A proud man and his family get a Christmas to remember The second thing Charlie Brison thought about, when his doctors diagnosed his lung cancer, was the list of repairs he needed to do for his family, before… The ultimate “honey-do” list, by a dad with a deadline. For Kalli, his 17-year-old daughter, he needed

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A Guardian Angel

She sobbed at night, too angry to pray. But a gift from strangers gave her a new outlook. She was so mad at God, Datha Jackson had stopped praying to him. In July, her 15-year-old daughter, Heather Tice, was in a car crash and was rushed to St. Lukeʼs Hospital. Heather was a passenger in

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Visions of Sugarplums

Stricken by cancer, dancer sees dream come to life Ally Woodbury knew something was up Saturday when her mother took her shopping for a ball gown. A gown to make Ally feel “like a princess,” her mom said. After asking “Why?” a dozen times, Ally just accepted it. Struggling with cancer, she has learned to

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Soaring With Eagles

A boy suffering from cancer wants to complete what he began before…. Leslee Slinger knew this Christmas Eve would be the best ever: Her big brother was home. This would be the first holiday that Derek Slinger, 18, would not spend in a hospital since he was diagnosed with cancer almost a year and a

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The Great Escape

A hospital-bound boy wants to go to the movies, but the hospital says No! The mission: Get Zachary Marion, 11, out of Children’s Mercy Hospital for a few hours on Friday. The destination: The AMC movie theater on Ward Parkway. The goal: Watch the hit computer animated movie “The Incredibles.” Status: Mission accomplished. “We called

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The Magic Acorn

In the twinkle of an eye, a sick boy’s acorn becomes a mighty oak Chief Elf slouches at his desk, a blitz of yellow sticky notes circling his computer screen like a wreath. At Elf Central, all is quiet at 2 a.m. But with just one week to go before Christmas 2002, all is not

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A Story of Honor

A soldier goes to war knowing he will not come back Wellsville. Kan — Jim Butler hasn’t slept well since his son left for the war. His wife, Cindy, has gone to bed. Hours of watching television for news about the war gave her a headache. But in a familiar ritual, she has perched a

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Melanie’s Miracle

“Where did this come from?” Melanie Monroe cried as her husband, Paul, wheeled her up the new ramp. Then her eyes followed the ramp. Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh…Oh!…Oh! This…this is so wonderful….Is this really my house?” Tears. Tears of joy. Tears from months of pain. Tears from an accident that burned her  critically,

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Hunter’s Flight

Taking flight with Santa, a little boy soars above sorrow In the early weeks of December, there were good days for Hannah Saulsbury. Days when she could play like any other toddler. Days when she asked to have her fingernails painted with polish. Days when the 3 year-old didn’t feel the pain — the “owies,”

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