Hurricane Ian: 10-Year-Old Olivia Celebrates Her Birthday in a Red Cross Shelter

It was a quiet morning for the Pullen–Fazchas family of four — mom Shelby, dad Frank, and daughters Olivia and Emily — staying at the Red Cross shelter in St. Cloud, Florida, as a group of volunteers tried to keep a secret. The group was setting up a party for Olivia’s 10th birthday. Shortly after lunch was served, Olivia and Emily, along with most of the residents of the shelter, were either in the dormitory or enjoying the good weather in the courtyard. Those entering the party room were told, “It’s Olivia’s 10th birthday” in a whisper. At 1 p.m., Olivia entered the party room and saw a large Happy Birthday sign and other decorations on the walls, along with a cake and a table full of gifts.   Red Cross volunteers gathered with members of the Osceola County Fire Department and other shelter residents to celebrate. Olivia immediately looked back at her parents as if she was in the wrong place. “This is for me?” Olivia could be heard saying. “Look there’s a cake.” Then eyeing the gift table, she asked, “Are these for me too?” Mom and Dad encouraged Olivia to move behind the cake table and face the more than 35 guests as they sang Happy Birthday. Olivia smiled in awe through the song, paused at the end, and blew out her candles. “Happy Birthday, baby,” her dad Frank called out. “It means so much to me. It means a great deal to all of us,” said Shelby Pullen, Olivia’s Mom. “This really topped it. We couldn’t have...
Source: Red Cross Chat - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Disaster american red cross Disaster Response florida Hurricane Ian Shelter Support Source Type: news