Gabriel’s miracle
A community of real estate agents, retailers and police transformed a Spokane Valley rental into a home for a 3-year-old boy who’s battling cancer. Similar to the reality-TV show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition,” the miracle was orchestrated in a week’s time and provided a home, along with utilities and other necessities, free for a year to the boy and his parents. The furnishings and other gifts are theirs to keep.
As the Quaschnick family pulled into the driveway of their new home, they were greeted by a fire engine’s flashing lights and a crowd that applauded and sang, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
A wide-eyed Gabriel Quaschnick sweetly chided, “Come on everyone!” as he bounded up the steps toward the playroom in his new home.
“I’m totally overwhelmed. I can’t stop crying,” said Gabriel’s mother, Jennifer Quaschnick, 26, as she walked through the home, which boasts a SpongeBob SquarePants–themed bedroom for Gabriel.
About a year ago, former Spokane residents Tim and Jennifer Quaschnick moved back from Maine, after Tim, 28, had been laid off from his job. The couple, living with relatives, had started a day-care business in Mead and Tim – who also had a night job – was attending Spokane Community College. That’s when they learned that Gabriel had a huge tumor. The diagnosis was Wilms’ tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer.
In the past eight months, the polite, outgoing tot had a kidney removed. He is bald from chemotherapy.
Recently, Gabriel’s condition has stabilized, a remission his parents pray is permanent. More than 90 percent of children with Wilms’ tumor are cured, according to the American Cancer Society.
Last week, Spokane Valley Police Chief Cal Walker, who serves on the board of the Wishing Star Foundation, interviewed the family about granting a wish for Gabriel. It dawned on Walker that the boy simply wanted some space to play and be a normal kid.
However, providing a home exceeded Wishing Star’s capacity, so the police chief enlisted the help of his brother, Bryan Walker, a partner at Tomlinson Black Valley, a real estate firm. The brothers told the story to about 60 real estate agents last week and Cal Walker challenged them to help.
“When we heard about it last Tuesday at our sales meeting, it was like we had springs in our feet,” recalled Karen Adams. She and her husband, Larry Caron, both brokers, signed on to organize a drive to fill a three-bedroom house that was donated rent-free for one year by Bryan Walker and Dave Black.
Cal Walker told the couple about the house and gave them a tour. But the Quaschnicks, who sold almost everything when they moved from Maine, envisioned bare rooms.
A list of needed furnishings and supplies – ranging from toothpaste to towels and furniture – was posted at Tomlinson Black Valley, and its staff went to work, calling for donations.
University Appliance and TV delivered a new washer and dryer. Wal-Mart delivered a 27-inch flat-screen television. Comcast gave a year’s free cable television and Qwest kicked in free phone service. First Horizon Home Loans donated $1,000 and another $2,000 was raised from other sources.
“There has been no difficulty in finding anything for this. We asked, we got – just like that,” Adams said.
On Tuesday, a group of people, some of whom scaled back their own Christmases to help the family, brought last-minute touches, including a lighted outdoor Christmas tree and an inflatable smiley-face chair. There were two indoor Christmas trees surrounded by presents.
Wishing Star found artists to do the SpongeBob murals and furnished the bedroom and playroom, even setting up a tiny aquarium with three orange-and-black-striped tiger barbs.
“Our police officers have been watching this place to make sure it didn’t get burglarized. I think it’s the safest place in the Spokane Valley,” said Walker, who marveled at how quickly the group worked. “I had no idea how huge people’s hearts could really be. It’s knocked my socks off.”
Wednesday, as the family walked through, Jennifer Quaschnick marveled at the care that went into the furnishings and other touches.
“This house was empty and all we had was a bed and a television. This is so much more than we expected,” Quaschnick said.
She planned a trip to the store, but then realized that the cupboards and refrigerator were full. There were even pots, pans, plates and silverware.
“We’re going to have dinner as a family and sit on the couch and look at the Christmas tree and thank God for our blessings.”