Cards from near and far were pouring in for 7-year-old Emma Ritter as she battles Cystic Fibrosis.
Emma Ritter found cheer in every birthday card that she opens. Her mother Lisa set out to make Emma's dream of receiving one hundred birthday cards come true. About a week ago, she used social media to let her family and friends know Emma would be spending her seventh birthday in the hospital.
"I figured our friends and family would make sure that she got a 100 cards but I never in my wildest imagination thought it would be like this," Lisa Ritter Emma's mother said.
As of Monday morning Emma received and opened over 500 cards, using them to decorate the walls in her room. The effort made national news over the weekend. International correspondence from Thailand, Korea, and Australia made their way to Emma with more cards arriving to her room personally delivered by the Sheriff's Department.
Lisa was glad this has brought awareness to Cystic Fibrosis and that Emma can have a special memory to share with her sisters while helping her through the tough days ahead.
"I can't thank anybody enough for the outpouring that they have given our daughter, um this is amazing. And I just thank you from the bottom of our heart," Lisa Ritter said.
The mail kept pouring in for Emma; we were told that usually Children's Hospital Central California receives about four boxes of mail a day, Monday they are already up to 16 boxes.
