Cars lined up for miles in Pewaukee, Wisconsin on Friday to celebrate the birthday of a very special girl battling a terminal illness.
Thousands came out to show support to Delaney Krings, who turned five on Dec. 16, reported NBC News affiliate TMJ4 News. The little girl's family shared her battle with terminal brain cancer and the community responded by organizing a birthday parade for her. The event featured Mickey Mouse, Olaf, Elsa and the friendly, cheering faces of her neighbors and the strangers touched by her story.
The family, including Delaney's parents, Jack and Heather Krings, watched the parade from inside their home. The Krings were moved by the outpouring of support for their daughter since they began sharing photos and videos of her. Their child was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer on Oct. 31, 2022 and was given only a few weeks to live.
"I’m just happy she gets to enjoy her birthday," said Jack. "There’s no way to thank everybody, but, from the bottom of our hearts we appreciate everything."
Heather said that while the celebration was uplifting, it's difficult to see her daughter's condition decline since her last surgery.
"Her vision has been quite impaired from that and that did take away from what little motion she did have in her left arm and leg," she told TMJ4 News. "We know she hears us, we know she can see. She does have to lift her eyelid up to see a little bit."
According a Facebook page set up by the family, a week after Delaney was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor, they were told that their daughter's illness was terminal. She received surgery at Children's Wisconsin, which alleviated pressure due to fluid buildup. But around Thanksgiving, things took a turn for the worse and her already short 12-week life expectancy was cut down by half.
Prior to the parade, a family friend started a card drive for Delaney. Thousands of greeting cards and Amazon packages poured in from around the world, including one from NFL star JJ Watt, who is from Pewaukee.
The family knows that this birthday will be the Delaney's last, though they hold out hope that she will make it to Christmas.
“It is kind of one little bit every day that we see taken away from her,” said Heather.
“I hope never nobody ever has to go through this," said Jack. "This is the worst."