Credit: Jeff Bohen/LevittownNow.com
“We were never expecting anything like this!” Jason Heim said.
Those were the words of a father filled with gratitude and never ending belief in the power that faith and hope is healing.
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Sirens wailing, lights flashing – this wasn’t a fire call local first responders were on there way to. It was the call to welcoming home 7-year-old Jaylea Heim.
Riding in a caravan made up of first responders that met her and family on Rt 413 in Bristol Township, they proceeded to deliver her home giving her a make up ride of sorts since she ended up in hospital instead of a theme park.
The odyssey for the Heim family which began with a family vacation now ended with Lower Bucks First Responders coming out strong providing their healing presence for Jaylea.
Credit: Jeff Bohen/LevittownNow.com
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“Now this is something special,” one onlooker said while wiping tears from her eyes as she held her daughter in hand.
The ties that bind the fabric of Levittown community, whether ethereal of through the power of social media, or one woman’s desire to pay something forward brought health and princesses to the celebration.
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Hundreds gathered in the Red Cedar section of Bristol Township, which was adorned with “Welcome Home Jaylea” signs. The move stunned the family and “J-Baby,” as her Dad calls her.
Jaylea, while departing the Newportville Fire Company truck she rode on with family and event organizer Michelle Auty, climbed down with father in hand to cheers of onlookers.
It was one of those moments that was classic Disney, but happening in real life – happy ending and all.
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Late Sunday evening, Auty reflected on the days events.
“It felt great to do something special for somebody else,” she said.
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Jaylea’s uncle, Kevin Williams, a member of the Newportville Fire Company, became increasingly aware of the financial challenges his family faced while his niece was being treated in a Florida hospital. The family’s “reserves” were being depleted, he said. In response to the exigent circumstance, Williams created a donation page through GoFundMe and over 13,000 has been raised since.
But on this Sunday in the Bristol Twp section of Levittown, coming home to recover and celebrating Jaylea and her family is all that matters, Auty said.
Credit: Jeff Bohen/LevittownNow.com
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