Family seeking Christmas cards for 5-year-old survivor of Sutherland Springs shooting

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Make Christmas brighter for young church shooting victim
Make Christmas brighter for young church shooting victim

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas -- A young survivor of the Sutherland Springs church shooting faces a long road to recovery.

Ryland Ward was shot five times inside First Baptist Church last month.

The 5-year-old also faces a holiday without his mother and two of his siblings, all of whom died in the mass shooting.

The boy is still in the hospital six weeks after the shooting, and his family says he will still need more time to heal before heading home.

The family made a call to the public to help make the boy's holiday brighter while he recovers. As reported by KSAT, the family is appealing for Christmas cards with a dollar bill to Ryland.

The family wants to get the boy a go-kart for Christmas.

Christmas cards can be sent to: Ryland Ward, P.O. Box 174, Sutherland Springs, TX 78161.

A GoFundMe account is also active for the child. You can make a donation at the crowdfund site.

As of Tuesday, the GoFundMe drew more than $132,000 of its $200,000 goal to pay for the boy's medical expenses.

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Local resident Jamie Rose (L) is hugged by church member Raymond Antonio as she delivers flowers, at the entrance to the First Baptist Church on November 6, 2017.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images