PEWAUKEE, WISCONSIN: The close-knit community of Pewaukee came together on Friday, December 16, to celebrate what may be the final birthday of a terminally ill five-year-old girl, who has brain cancer.
Delany Krings was tragically diagnosed with brain cancer on October 31 and was given six to eight weeks to live. "Brain cancer is terrible because if you look at a person as a puzzle, as a jigsaw puzzle, brain cancer is that one thing that takes one piece away every day, and sometimes it's really sneaky, other times it's really obvious. But it's, unfortunately, a pretty steady decline," said Heather, Krings' mother, as per KOCO.
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After learning about Krings' diagnosis, Andrew Kreblin, with the Wisconsin Truck Takeover Enthusiasts, felt compelled to do something for her and floated the idea of organizing a special parade to celebrate what may be the last time they will be able to sing happy birthday for her. He said the news soon spread around their community and hundreds joined hands to organize the special celebration. "It's good to see the community coming together. Time of need right now for the family. It's real touching, I've got kids at home around the same age," Kreblin told KOCO.
With appearances from Olaf, Elsa and Mickey Mouse among others, the parade was the best gift for little Krings that her family could ever ask for. She wasn’t in the best of shape to enjoy the parade personally but watched the emotional scene from her window. "It's amazing, and there's so many great people out there doing so much for us. You're really happy to see it, but you wish it wasn't your kid," said Jacob, Krings' father.
Before this special parade, a special card drive was also organized to celebrate Krings' final birthday. Sharon Tomlinson, who spearheaded the card drive, spread the news on social media and asked everyone to send a card for the little girl. In an interview with Today, Heather shared her appreciation for Tomlinson, and revealed that the family had already received "hundreds and hundreds" of letters all dedicated to the five-year-old. She added that in addition to cards, Krings also received Amazon packages and homemade items including blankets, bracelets and ornaments.
Krings' story about her battle with terminal brain cancer has touched the lives of people from across the world. "I think that the photos and the videos that we've shared of her have really shown people just the light and love that she is," said Heather. A GoFundMe and Facebook page has been set up for the family for those who would like to help or follow the child's journey.