Family and friends deliver early Christmas cheer to woman in final days of her life
ANTIOCH, Ill. (CBS) -- Driving by a home in the far northwest suburbs, you might wonder what happened to Halloween, as each day more Christmas decorations keep showing up. The answer is a touching tribute to a loving mom, wife and friend; with a special message for everyone.
Voices of holiday cheer rang outside a home on a warm fall day in Antioch during a festive gathering for Jamie Haley, a woman loved by many, watching from the front window.
"It couldn't be better. I could not be happier," Jamie said.
Hearing those words, you wouldn't realize Haley is in the final stages of her life, with hospice coming daily.
Known for her lifelong love of Christmas, her family is bringing the joy of the season to her in a big way.
"Everybody is showing up and strangers are showing up," said her daughter, Anna. "It's Christmas for as long as it can be. We just love her so much. … We are going to love her until we have to miss her."
As word gets out, Christmas keeps coming to Jamie's house. One night the group went all night, bringing a horse-drawn carriage, a goat, even Santa and Mrs. Claus – all meeting Jamie for the first time.
"After meeting Jamie, I'll never forget her, and it's been a wonderful experience," Mrs. Claus said. "Her spirit and her love is evident."
A homemade light up lamp joined the ever-growing display of inflatables slowly taking over much of Jamie's block – her home for 45 years, where she raised four children with her husband Jim, to whom she's been married for 51 years. They enjoy nine grandchildren.
"My mom is probably the most special person in the world. She's not only taken care of us, but she took care of everybody else, and it was a lot, and she doesn't know how important she was to us. She doesn't know how wide her reach was, and how big the love we have for her is," Anna said.
Jamie said she "was completely blown away" by the display of appreciation.
Her sister-in-law described each moment with Jamie as a blessing.
"She was a mom to everyone, and now a grandma to everyone, and she taught us all the good things. She was joyful her whole life," Mary Peterson said. "And now she's teaching us how to die. She's telling us to do it with dignity and joy."
Jamie said she has no other choice.
"We don't get to stay here. My husband's mother always said heaven is home, and this is temporary, and when it's your time, it's your time," she said. "We've been through a lot together, that's for sure."
Handmade decorations and memories fill every corner of Jamie's home—ornaments passed down through generations, lights twinkling, and the unmistakable warmth of the season.
Love has been pouring in for Jamie, who remains grateful and positive.
"When it's your time, accept that. It's God's will, and just be happy in the moments that you have," she said.
Anna said, her mom "just has that giving heart of Christmas that you can feel it in the summer."
In the face of the hardest moments, the Haley family reminds us all of the power of love and community.
"Be kind to people. You never know whose life you are affecting," Jamie said. "I am grateful for every minute I have with friends and family, and it's all good."
For Jamie, Christmas is more than a season. It's a lasting legacy.
"Just try to be joyful and grateful for all the years that they had," she said.
The family asks if you'd like to pay the Christmas spirit forward, consider a donation to Penny's Purpose in Antioch. They make comfort quilts for those in need, and had one made for Jamie.
