Friday, July 25, 2025

Christmas in June for Kasey

Facing terminal brain cancer, 9-year-old Kasey Zachmann of Bethesda, Maryland, celebrated Christmas in June after doctors told her parents she had only weeks to live.

With just six days' notice, neighbors answered the family's call. Dozens of homes lit up, Santa arrived on a firetruck, and Kasey, dressed in a pink Nutcracker gown, watched a full Christmas parade roll by her front yard. Hundreds joined in, despite the summer heat and rain.

Support poured in from all 50 states and beyond with cards, videos, and well-wishes. What was once the diagnosis day is now a memory her family will always call Christmas in June. Watch a video here.

Seattle Dentist Moonlights as Tooth Fairy

For 20 years, Dr. Purva Merchant, a pediatric dentist in Seattle, has quietly answered thousands of emails sent to the Tooth Fairy, a nickname tied to an old email address her husband created during dental school.

The messages come from parents trying to keep the magic alive and kids worried about swallowed teeth, missed visits, or fairy logistics. One wrote, “If you see a purple ribbon box—don’t disturb the squishy sleeping banana inside. That is my toy, and I have 10 million gazillion toys. Don’t bump into the heater.” Watch a video report here.

Purva has replied to more than 6,000 notes, each one filled with kindness, brushing tips, and just enough whimsy to keep belief intact. Seventeen years later, one grown-up wrote back to say thanks—a reminder that a little magic goes a long way. 

Pint-Size Prodigy Plays Carnegie Hall

Five-year-old Alec Van Khajadourian from Los Angeles became the youngest performer at last Sunday’s NY Classical Debut Awards Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall.

The piano whiz, who has perfect pitch and started playing as a toddler, earned his spot by sweeping three major music competitions in Charleston, New York City, and Los Angeles earlier this year. Watch him play on his Instagram account.

Organizers say Alec is the youngest in the event’s history—and possibly the youngest ever at Carnegie Hall—though the venue can’t confirm this due to incomplete records.

Thanks to his age, Carnegie Hall staff bent a few backstage rules to allow his parents to accompany him. His dad called it a milestone moment for a kid who was plunking piano keys before he was out of diapers.

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Not THAT kiss cam video 😅

video via Omar Raja - ESPN/YouTube

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"I’m so sorry I swallowed my tooth. And I love you. XXX OOO"

—  A child's message to Dr. Purva Merchant, who moonlights as the Tooth Fairy