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'That's amazing': Contact7 comes through for Virginia family battling tough times in Denver

Posted at 9:59 PM, Jun 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-21 21:19:36-04

Editor's note: Contact7 seeks out audience tips and feedback to help people in need, resolve problems and hold the powerful accountable. If you know of a community need our call center could address, or have a story idea for our investigative team to pursue, please email us at contact7@thedenverchannel.com or call (720) 462-7777. Find more Contact7 stories here.

So many of you have graciously stepped up to help a Virginia family staying in Colorado after a surprise cancer diagnosis for their 16-year-old son.

The family of eight knows they may be here for a while. But they had no way to get around, or a place to stay.

Then Contact7 and the community stepped up.

"There's one other thing I almost forgot," Contact7's Tom Mustin told the family Wednesday, as he handed over the keys to a Nissan Armada to a stunned Nick and Melissa Thomas. "This is for you all. Look behind you now with the New York plates. That's your car for as long as you're here in Colorado."

As we told you Tuesday, the Thomas family of eight had been returning home to Virginia from an Alaskan cruise and had a connection flight through Denver. After landing, their 16-year-old son Marshall became so sick that paramedics recommended he be taken to Children's Hospital, where he was diagnosed with leukemia.

Since then, the family had been looking for a place to stay in Colorado.

After seeing the story run on Denver7, one viewer, Carrie Holder, called her husband Derk Holder and told him about the family's story.

The Holders had just finished remodeling a rental home near Children's Hospital, with the specific purpose of having families like the Thomases stay there while their loved ones battled life-threatening conditions.

"We just thought this is an opportunity where we could do something to help families out," Derk Holder said. "But really, just help the community because we know there is a tremendous need for these families."

After cross-country calls and texts, Contact7 helped arrange for the Thomas family to stay in the Holders' home at a discounted rate for as long as they need, another surprise for the Thomas family.

The Thomases said Marshall had his first big procedure Tuesday and is in stable condition. And no matter how long their stay will be in Colorado, they'll say they'll never forget the helping hand they received from complete strangers.

"There's enough things that are stressful now, but to know the housing and transportation are taken care of is a huge weight. Fantastic. Really appreciate it," Nick Thomas said.

Contact7 wants to thank Budget car rental, which helped out with a Nissan Armada for the family. Contact7 viewers also contributed several hundred dollars worth of gift cards to help pay for groceries.

The Thomas family will be in Colorado for a while, so if you want to help them out, there's still time to donate. Click here for the Contact7 Gives Fund page. Use the drop-down menu and click "Help for the Thomas family."

Every penny from the proceeds will go to the Thomas family.