Stealth Christmas Delivery Helps Family Cope With Tragedy
(CBS) -- Tis the season.
CBS 2's Brad Edwards met a local politician who's playing the role of Santa, and a family in no greater need.
With the help of others Lake County Councilman Jamal Washington put the call out on Facebook.
On Thursday, they sprang into action. Inside is a story of such heartbreak, beginning three weeks ago.
"Losing a child, something that you birthed into this world, can never be replaced," Carrietta Fryerson says.
"I got a text message that says 'Your mother's house is on fire,'" she says.
It's where her kids were staying, including son D'anthony. He was asleep when enveloped by the smoke. He died 2 days later.
But on that very day, she gave birth to a daughter.
"I lost him at 9:05 that morning," Carrietta says. "And at 1:03 that afternoon I gave birth to her."
In the midst of a move out a state, everything was lost in the fire. Christmas was on the ropes for the high school sweethearts and their family.
But Christmas arrived on the doorstep: coats, toys and more.
"It meant a lot. It shows me that people do care," Carrietta says.
The family donated D'Anthony's organs. That saved three lives, including that of a 1-year-old old.
His sister, born by C section four hours after he died, is home and doing well.
A fundraising page has been set up.