East Idaho News
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Young dad with brain tumor whose toddler died in tragic accident gets touching Secret Santa surprise
Posted
December 17, 2023
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9:20Now Playing#eastidahonews #secretsanta #surprise
The EastIdahoNews.com team is busy helping a local Secret Santa give $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season.
In 2012, Eddie began having unusual nerve sensations in his left arm and persistent headaches. It was discovered he had a brain tumor. He also developed hydrocephalus, which almost took his life.
Eddie, the father of three children at the time, drove to UCLA from Burbank every weekday for six weeks to do photon radiation therapy on the tumor. His infant daughter, McKaylee, was with him every day at treatments and doctor appointments. He called her his "happy pill" because she was such a good baby during all these appointments and she brought a smile to him and the other cancer patients and nurses.
During this time, Eddie and Mary found out they were pregnant and they purchased a 2006 Honda Odyssey Minivan to accommodate the size of their growing family.
Over the next few years, treatment was going well, and his tumor had stabilized.
In Aug. 2015, Eddie drove his van home from work and waited for the garage in the parking structure to open up. He didn't know that 3-year-old McKaylee was coming into the garage to see him. Unfortunately, Eddie didn’t see or hear her, and there was a terrible accident. McKaylee didn't survive.
In 2022, routine scans confirmed Eddie's brain tumor was active again, and he has been undergoing treatments since then. His current symptoms, including nerve pain on the left side of his body, balance issues, and relentless headaches, have left him unable to work.
Eddie is still driving the same minivan that he drove when McKaylee died. In tears, he recently said that every time he gets in his van, he remembers the accident. It has been his wish to get a different vehicle but he has been able to work and afford a new van due to his brain tumor.
Secret Santa asked the East Idaho News elves to pay Eddie a visit and drop him off an early Christmas gift. Watch the surprise in the video player above!
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