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BRAINERD — Cassie Stenson watched in awe as more than a dozen strangers — their arms filled with festively wrapped gifts — squeezed into the living room of her Brainerd home Wednesday night, Dec. 21.
Oh, my gosh, this is all so much. This seriously is the best Christmas ever.
“I couldn’t believe when I opened the door and saw all the people lining the driveway,” she said.
“Shocked,” “overwhelmed,” “blessed” and “thankful” are the words Stenson shared after everyone left about a half hour later. She was still processing being chosen as the recipient of the Best Christmas Ever program.
“Oh, my gosh, this is all so much,” a tearful Stenson said. “This seriously is the best Christmas ever.”
The Best Christmas Ever program helps families who have fallen upon tough times through no fault of their own. Sponsor Woods to Water Real Estate in Nisswa took applications for eligible families in the lakes area, ultimately choosing Stenson.
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Stenson’s friends, Nicole Mason and Monica Schrader — a friend from elementary school — nominated Stenson and her two children, Ruby Carlson, who just turned 14 on Dec. 28, and Luka Lundbohm, 2.
Cassie has a long road of recovery and will not be working for months and has bills to pay and Christmas coming around the corner.
A single mom, Stenson, 33, was diagnosed Aug. 2 with stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma — breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy Sept. 7, and got a power port placed to start chemotherapy Sept. 27.
On Oct. 11, she started her first of four rounds of biweekly chemotherapy, followed by four rounds of biweekly Taxol chemotherapy. She faces six more months of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries.
“Cassie has a long road of recovery and will not be working for months and has bills to pay and Christmas coming around the corner,” the nomination letter said.
Ruby, decked in a Santa hat, was perhaps the first to notice a familiar face in the group of strangers - her grandma and Stenson’s mother, Kathy Stenson, dressed in a Santa sweater. She surprised her daughter and grandchildren with a visit from Bayfield, Wisconsin, with plans to stay for a few days.
“I’m really surprised that my grandma is here and that my family is in on this without me knowing,” Ruby later said.
Stenson’s father and sister also were there, though not physically. Both Dan Stenson and Sam Stenson watched the goings-on via Facetime - the father from Alaska and the sister from California.
The two kids and Stenson each opened one gift. Luka was enamored with a box of Hot Wheels cars, repeating, “open,” “open,” until his grandma helped him get to the cars.
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Ruby received a keyboard, and Stenson received a basket filled with gift cards to stores for home needs, a gas card, an outing to the spa at Grand View Lodge to get pampered and $500 toward new tires she had been talking to her dad about getting.
“Things to help lighten the burden,” said Colton Maher, broker/owner of Woods to Water Real Estate.
Maher explained how the Brainerd lakes area community banded together with donations, telling Stenson to expect a check for around $10,000 to go toward bills and possibly a family trip when Stenson regains her health.
Schrader told her friend they’d lined up someone to plow her driveway all winter as well.
I'm really happy for my mom ... I love my mom.
In all, about 160 people donated financially, and 60 gifts were donated.
“There’s a whole lot of people who came together,” Maher said.
Ironically, upon seeing Stenson’s address the day before delivery, Woods to Water employees realized they’d sold Stenson her home.
Reflecting on the whirlwind evening, Ruby said: “I’m really happy for my mom. I feel really touched, I guess happy for my mom. I love my mom.”
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Her grandma said she was grateful for the community and how much they gave to her daughter and grandchildren.
“Unbelievable,” she said.
Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.
