LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — It was another successful trip around the globe for Santa, a big part of that was thanks to some unsung heroes, Santa’s Little Helpers.
Hundreds of thousands of delivery drivers were in high gear this holiday season delivering an even larger number packages, often with little if any thanks. One Lake Worth sixth grade student, Shannon Hayes, is proving it’s better to give than receive.
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She has a lot to be thankful for, including her family and pets. Despite Shannon’s condition, spinal muscular atrophy, her mom, Lymari Bergallo says she is always thinking of others, “I say to her, it’s better to give than receive.”
And Shannon does, just to name a few she says, “I donate my hair a lot, I brought toys to hospitals, I’ve donated things to Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria.”
She tries not to let the obvious hold her back, she still virtually attends classes at Hidden Oaks School in Palm Beach County and loves Christmas.
While it’s easy to get caught up on who’s on the naughty or nice list, Shannon was more worried about the delivery lists, and the Fedex, Amazon, USPS, UPS, and DoorDash Drivers that fill them on an almost daily basis at her home.
“First they would drop off things for my trachea, like stuff I need like my ventilator, back here,” said Shannon.
She came up with the idea to leave a box of snacks for her delivery drivers after seeing similar posts online, Shannon says she was pleased with the reaction, “She smiled she picked up some Funyons and she was looking at this little picture I have on it.”
One of the area Fedex drivers was so touched by the gesture she responded with a gift of her own for Shannon, proving sometimes the greatest gift is gratitude.
