BOISE, Idaho — While many people are spending time with their loved ones, this Christmas is extra special for one Treasure Valley family because they're spending it together in their new house. Which is something they haven't had for more than a year.
“Oh I’m so excited, this is awesome,” Allee Ballesteros said.
For the past year-and-a-half, Allee, her husband and their four kids have been living in the attic of her mother in-law's home. Their struggles heightened after their daughter Hazel was diagnosed with cancer in May of 2018.
“My son's only Christmas wish was to have his own house,” Allee said.
One Monday, just two days before Christmas, her son got that Christmas wish.
“It was kind of unreal, we didn’t exactly believe it at first,” Allee said. The family received the keys to a four-bedroom home in Leap Charities' Windy Court, the four-home complex built from shipping containers.
“The exact moment we found out that we got to be here, we were a little shocked and a little scared because we had to start over,” she said.
But that wasn't all.
Infinite Kindness and the Eagle Hills Golf Course also surprised the family with beds, toys for the kids, kitchen utensils and groceries.
“It definitely touched my heart,” said Christy Radcliffe with Eagle Hills Golf Course. “Allee told us that she spent a lot of time with a lot of tears over the last few years and she had tears again last night, but it was a totally different kind of tears this time, it was tears of relief and she was just so thankful.”
A new beginning, just in time for the new year.
“We've had tears of joy for the last couple of days and knowing we're making a difference for them to be able to get on their feet and start their new life in 2020 in a great way,” said Tara Dotson with Infinite Kindness.
The Ballesteros family say they hope to pay it forward in the future.
“We're so grateful, we feel very blessed and it would've taken us a little longer to do this ourselves. my husband is the only one working and he works really hard, but it's not easy to do by yourself for a family of six,” Allee said.
And some more good news, their daughter Hazel is now in remission.