Lights Surprise Brightens Christmas For Frankfort 2nd Grader

FRANKFORT, IL — An Indian Trail second-grader soaked up every second of some special attention Saturday, as firefighters pulled up with sirens blaring and lights flashing outside his Frankfort home.

Leo Drisko, 7, thought it might be his pals with Project Fire Buddies, and it was—with a few more of Santa's elves.

It was firefighters spilling out of engines with what seemed to be a pretty seamless plan of attack for the home on English Circle—grab the Tupperwares, sort the string lights, hang the lights on tree branches, get the extension cords ready. It was sirens flashing, ladder up to reach the roof of the family's home. There were few idle hands as they responded to this very important call. Christmas music blared, as family and friends watched the operation in motion.

The evening was part of Finley Forever Foundation's "Lights and Ladders Brigade," an organized effort to plot a course to decorate the homes of families fighting illness during the holidays. Finley Forever Founder Dan Bracken started the foundation, and later the brigade, following the Sept. 2020 death of his 2-year-old daughter Finley, less than a year after she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Firefighters from across three states volunteer their time to decorate the homes of multiple recipients. This was the brigade's second year expanding to the Lincoln-Way area and included 50 firefighters volunteering—even Santa made an appearance.

Bracken remembers what it feels like to be staring down such a grim situation during what's supposed to be a cheerful season. It can be impossible to muster that optimism.

"When we were going through our battle with cancer, my dad and brother came over and forcefully made us decorate the house," Bracken told Patch previously.. "It was in November, it's the last thing a family's worried about, is decorating the house, when you're dealing with this.

"... Money's great, emotional support's great, food trains are great—everything's great—but what can we do that takes a burden off the family? You never know when your last Christmas will be."

This Christmas comes on the heels of a rough year for Leo, who was just 5 years old when his parents noticed a softball-sized lump in his abdomen. Initial evaluations led doctors to believe it was feces, and they prescribed him laxatives, said his mother Stephanie. Bowel movements were essentially liquid, Drisko said, and the lump remained. He also suffered severe pain in his knees, leading to steroid injections. A month later, an X-ray of his abdomen would lead to an ultrasound, CT scan—and a cancer diagnosis.

Doctors said Leo had Rhabdomyosarcama—a soft tissue cancer in kids that occurs in muscle, fat, blood vessels, tendons and other places. Rhabdomyosarcoma accounts for about half of the cases of pediatric soft tissue sarcoma, according to the American Childhood Cancer Organization. Leo's was stage three, grade three, and retroperitoneal—it was growing from the back of his abdominal cavity, resulting in the protruding lump. What they could see was small in comparison to what festered beneath the surface: a 20-centimeter mass reaching from his ribs to his pelvis. It had been pressing against vessels and nerves, causing the pain that had traveled into his lower extremities, Drisko said.

"How did they not catch it?" Drisko remembers thinking early on.

Following his diagnosis in May 2022, Leo underwent 35 doses of radiation and 14 rounds of chemo before finally ringing the bell signifying completion of treatment in 2023. Technically, he's in remission, Drisko said, though an 8-centimeter mass remains in his belly, unable to remove due to is ties to so many vessels. Now, it's a waiting game, Drisko said, which makes nights like Saturday so essential to keeping spirits up. Drisko and her husband Dave also have two other children—Darla, 9, and Ezekial, 5—whose holidays might be impacted by Leo's illness.

"I love it," Drisko said smiling, of what it means to see the brigade's efforts focus on her home. It was all a surprise for Leo, who was a ham the whole time, she said.

"He’s just excited to see all the people," she said. "He soaks up the attention."

The brigade functions solely from donations as well as sales of yard signs, sponsorships, and themed merchandise. In total, this year they raised $40,000 for the project, also visiting South Side homes on Dec. 2. This year, the brigade decorated 13 homes. Every bit raised is given right back to the families involved.

"We help every family out with their electrical bill, because lights are very expensive," Bracken said. "Everything we bring in, is put right back out."

Saturday's decorating crew came from departments including Oak Lawn, Posen, Garden Homes, Calumet City, Chicago, New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort, Manhattan, Flossmoor, Country Club Hills, East St. Louis, St. Louis, and Milwaukee, to name a few, Bracken said. The campaign also gets a major boost from donors such as Alsip Home and Nursery and Home Depot.

"For me personally, it’s taking away that 'unknown,'" Bracken said. "They probably never would have had the time to do this. It’s being able to show up, put some lights up have all my family friends, complete strangers bring the community together. Hang the lights, and leave them with this forever. It’s theirs."

A Home Depot store located in Alsip joined this year's brigade, pitching in $5,000 and also stopping by to witness the magic.

"It’s a worthy cause," said Armondo Garcia, of Home Deport. "We’re happy we got involved in it, we’ll be involved next year, as well, and hopefully it just keeps getting bigger and bigger."

Garcia first met the Bracken family when Dan and Lacey were shopping for supplies the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Garcia is modest about how much they helped, Bracken said.

"We bought so much stuff that we had to rent a box truck to bring it back," Bracken said, laughing. "It was awesome."

Garcia even let them buy a floor display—a giant, animated Grinch that now lives at the home of an Oak Lawn Lights and Ladders recipient.

"The little boy was just enamored," Bracken said. "They were second to none."

Garcia said they're happy to be a part of it.

"That’s what we’re about—giving back to the community."

After the holidays have wrapped, each recipient gets to keep all the decorations, Bracken noted. The brigade means so much to Bracken.

"It’s so cool," Bracken said, "... just to see everybody out here, truly because it's the right thing to do, no other reason."

Providing support for families in a position he remembers so clearly is invaluable to him—even if it means his own house gets put on the back burner.

"They don’t have to worry about it," Bracken said, of helping the families. "It’s an easy thing to do—except for at your own house."

He laughed.

"... I’m still decorating our house."

As volunteers moved in a flurry around their home, Drisko talked about what's helped her through the last year. She's drawn comfort from a group of local moms whose children have faced cancer diagnoses.

"When your kid has cancer, usually you know no one else whose kid has cancer," she said.

The women meet monthly, sharing their stories and journeys through childhood cancer.

"Even after they’re done, they’re not done," Drisko said, of what her son has gone through. "His cancer has a 30 percent relapse rate. Relapse is the kiss of death."

The other moms know that feeling of dread at every scan and check-up.

"It’s a crappy club to be in, but there are amazing people in it," she said.

Leo seems undaunted by his battle, bopping around and visiting with volunteers, friends, and family.

His favorite part of the whole display?

"Everything!"