Safyre Terry: The arson survivor who was sent 300,000 Christmas cards after appeal
The postmaster delivered 185,000 on Monday alone
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Okay, to be a bit more exact, she got hundreds of thousands of them — including about 185,000 on Monday alone.
You may remember hearing about Safyre; we wrote about her last week. Just about everybody did.
When Safyre was 5, an arsonist set fire to the stairwell of her family’s apartment stairwell in Schenectady, N.Y. Her father was killed in the blaze, as were her younger sister and two younger brothers.
Safyre, who is now 8, suffered severe burns. Her foot and hand were eventually amputated, and she lost skin on her face.
This year, Liz Dolder, Safyre’s aunt and legal guardian, put up a Christmas card tree in their home in Upstate New York. Safyre helped, Dolder said, and was eager to add a card to it. Safyre told her that she couldn’t wait to fill it up, Dolder said. The aunt replied that she didn’t think that was going to happen.
But then a viral card campaign began, after a photo of Safyre and the card tree was posted to the Safyre Schenectady’s Super Survivor page on Facebook, and Dolder’s friends helped. It spread online, and cards poured in to the P.O. box that Dolder had opened — a box in “the smallest post office there is,” she said.
Schenectady Postmaster John Reilly told ABC News that it took two two-ton mail trucks — plus a rented cargo truck — to deliver Monday’s haul alone. It was, Reilly told ABC, “the most mail we’ve ever gotten for a single person in Schenectady.”
The postmaster said Safyre has received more than 300,000 pieces of mail this month.
Safyre received another tree today. You all have shown such amazing beautiful, love, support, and UNITY. THANK YOU <3...
Posted by Safyre Schenectady's Super Survivor on Tuesday, 15 December 2015
“Well, they dropped off 185,000 yesterday,” Dolder said Tuesday.
“Oh my gosh,” she said. “Oh my gosh. And, you know, it’s so touching. Some of the responses and the cards have been so touching.”
The cards have come from all over — Brazil, Canada, Malaysia. And there are packages “in every room, all over the place,” Dolder says. The haul includes a note from a child named Adrian, who also sent a teddy bear.
“I am five years old,” the note said. “I live in Hong Kong. This is my favourite teddy bear. Let’s be friends.”
The family planned to send the stuffed animal back to Adrian, Dolder said, with a bear “friend” so that it’s “not so lonely.”
“To see them all come together to make one thing happen is just amazing,” Dolder said. “It’s breathtaking.”
Pictures posted to Facebook show Safyre with bins full of cards, and clutching a giant teddy bear. She is “having a blast,” according to one post, which also reads: “Joy, Joy, Joy.”
“There’s a lot of cards. You can’t really comprehend until you’re really in the midst of it,” Dolder said. “Like, ‘Holy cow.’ ”
Copyright: The Washington Post
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments