It’s mid-November, and about 200 people have gathered to sing Christmas carols outside a Sahuarita home.
It’s days before Thanksgiving, but a huge inflatable snowman sits on the roof. Fake snow spews from a machine as children frolic and laugh under its white flakes.
Marcus Cook, 4, can be seen through the living room window. He sits with his dad in a recliner, peeking through the glass, a radiant smile across his face. Marcus is surrounded by family, friends and piles of presents.
But Marcus is very sick.
Everyone gathered in front of his house is there to make his Christmas and birthday, on Dec. 15, a little brighter.
Marcus, who also goes by Junior, was recently put in hospice care due to terminal anaplastic ependymoma, a type of cancer that has invaded his brain and spine.
He was first diagnosed with the disease in August 2017 and had surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiation.
The family thought the cancer was gone, said Kristi Kosiorowski, his aunt.
But a scan taken last July revealed four tumors had grown in his brain and spine.
The week before last, when Marcus wasn’t feeling well, the family thought he had a bug that was going around. But when he held his head and screamed in pain Friday night, they knew it was something else. At the emergency room, he was rushed for brain scans, which showed the tumors had grown, Kosiorowski said.
“The doctor said, ‘This is the hardest part of my job. There’s nothing we can do,’” Kosiorowski said.
That was Friday, Nov. 9.
The family decided to take Marcus home, where he is receiving hospice care.
“He’s such a happy, sweet boy,” Kosiorowski said. “He’s the sweetest little thing.”
Since then, the community has come together to give Marcus an unforgettable holiday.
The Green Valley Fire Department took him to see “The Grinch” Thursday afternoon. While he was at the movies, family, community members and Rural Metro firefighters decorated the family’s home inside and out to surprise him with an early Christmas.
That wasn’t the only surprise for Marcus.
Kosiorowski and family friend Blaire Mathias put word out via Facebook and the Sahuarita Sun that people should gather at the Cook home to sing carols and bring presents for Marcus and his little brother, Thor.
The crowd was full of friends, family, local police and firefighters, and community members who have never met the family.
As people gathered and waited to start singing, Mathias thanked the community for its support.
“Thank you so much for coming,” Mathias said. “This community is amazing. ... We don’t even know each other, and you all came and did this.”
Adriana Fielden hung on to a double stroller with her 2-year-old twins.
“It’s just so sad when families have to go through this,” said Fielden, who doesn’t know the Cook family. “So I’m hoping to bring some holiday cheer.”
The fact that most people here are strangers is part of the beauty, Fielden said.
“Everybody is introducing themselves to each other,” Fielden said. “It’s really nice to see.”
Kiamani Castaneda stood with her friend Sabrina Diaz and their children as the crowd started to grow. Neither had met Marcus or his parents. “I am just here to support, pray and stand in the gap for this family that is suffering,” Castaneda said.
Mathias and Kosiorowski asked that the community decorate for Christmas early, encouraging people to light their houses in blue because it’s Marcus’ favorite color. Diaz said her husband saw the request on Facebook, so she bought lights to put up for Marcus.
The caroling opened with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Some read the lyrics from music sheets that were handed out. Others used their phones to look up the lyrics.
Marcus peeked through the window, too tired to come outside.
“He’s a total daddy’s boy,” Kosiorowski said. “He’s tired from being out today.”
A slow procession of police cars drove down the street with flashing red and blue lights.
A loud “Ho, ho ho!” was heard as Santa made his way into the Cook home. Everyone applauded and cheered his arrival.
Marcus was all smiles as he hung out with Santa and played with a train.
After about an hour of caroling, the evening started to wind down.
Mathias asked everybody to wish Marcus a happy birthday.
The crowd’s response was almost deafening.
“Happy birthday, Marcus!” they yelled.
From his dad’s arms, the boy looked through the window again as everyone sang.
