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The Incredible Holt

By 129 Comments

My cousin Alden has a 3 year old son named Holt, who we are now calling The Incredible Holt.  Holt is as precocious as they come, sweet as can be, and he has some spunk in him as well.  He is a whole lot of fun!

Sweet Holt was diagnosed with cancer on September 21st.  After multiple biopsies and soooo many tests over the last 6 months, the doctors have determined that Holt has a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma called Anaplastic Large T-Cell lymphoma.

Below is a picture of Holt’s family.  Alden used to teach in Frisco, but she became a stay at home mom when she had Holt.  She also used to do a little part time work at her church (Preston Trail), but right now she’s focusing all of her time and attention on Holt.  Jeff is an English teacher and Varsity football coach at Boyd High School, right here in McKinney.

Alden is also pregnant and due in December.  So, not only will they be undergoing treatment with Holt, she will also be caring for a sweet little newborn.

The preliminary treatment plan focuses on chemo.  Holt received his port on Tuesday, and he’s already received his first 2 chemo treatments.  He will receive 6 “blocks”, or rounds, of chemo in three-four week cycles equaling out to about 6 months of treatment.  Every block of treatment begins with a 5-6 day hospital stay where Holt will receive chemo for 5 days in a row and then we will head home for about 2 weeks.

Just like all of us would do for our own children, Jeff and Alden are going to do whatever they need to do to get their boy the best treatment they can. They are a financially responsible young couple, but they were not prepared for this, as I don’t think many families would be.

This sweet family has gone through so much, and they still have such a long road ahead.  I would be thrilled if our little community came together to help,  The power behind each of us giving even just $10 each could have such an impact!  Would y’all join me?  Let’s rally together to take some of the financial burden of fighting cancer off of Alden and Jeff.  Let’s give them a little peace of mind during this stressful season. 

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE GIFT THIS COULD BE!!!

I HAVE 3 EASY WAYS YOU CAN DONATE TODAY:

  1. GO FUND ME DONATIONS

If you would like to give directly to the family through their Go Fund Me account, you can  click here.  Any amount would be so greatly appreciated.  Personally, I don’t want Alden and Jeff to spend one second worrying over the financial aspect of this journey.  I want them only to focus on their precious boy.

Click HERE to to get to their Go Fund Me page.

AND Y’ALL!  Listen to this (just added afternoon of 10/9)!  Some people from Holt’s grandfather’s office put a really cool raffle together and wanted me to share it here.

They are going to raffle off two FLOOR tickets to Ed Sheeran on 10/27 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX!

COST: 1 raffle ticket (for two concert tickets) = $20.  But if you donate $100, you will receive SIX raffle tickets!!

TICKET INFO: SECTION G, ROW 13 SEAT 1 & 2

HOW TO ENTER:

Step 1: Make a donation for the number of raffle tickets you would like to purchase on Holt’s Go Fund Me page HERE.

Step 2: Email your confirmation to Catherine at czingiris@alatx.com after your donation is made, and she will get your tickets set aside and email you with your ticket numbers.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED:

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, 10/25! The tickets will be transferred to you electronically! No fuss, no muss!

Please take a minute to watch this beautiful video that my friend Andrea made for Holt.  The audio that you hear of Holt’s little voice was from earlier this year when they were in Philadelphia for some testing.  They had been at the hospital that day, and a ton of doctors had been running tests on his eyes (they first thought he had eye cancer).  Holt refused to open his eyes for like 24 hours after the procedures because he was so scared, and Alden captured this moment between them on her iPhone.

We all have a lot to learn from Holt.  He has such an incredible faith.

2) YOU CAN PURCHASE A T-SHIRT

If you watched the video, then you know that the t-shirt below honors Holt perfectly.  Chris and I will both be sporting the dark grey adult version, and Carter will be wearing the light grey kid version.  They are ONLY $15!  I of course love that the proceeds will go straight to Holt’s family, but I also love the idea of people wearing these tees and sharing Holt’s story!

This t shirt campaign will run until October 14th.  At that point, it will close and then shirts will be printed and shipped.  Estimated arrival is October 30th.

Alden also has a good friend that designed some super cute t-shirts with Alden’s faith in mind.  Click HERE to see the t-shirts that were inspired by Alden.  Love!

3. BUY A HOLT NECKLACE

My friends at Accessory Concierge have worked so incredibly hard over the last week to create this gorgeous and very special necklace that we are calling THE HOLT/ The Eye of The Tiger Necklace.  They are graciously going to give 20% of the sales straight to Alden’s family.  I’m so thankful for this!

I am SO PROUD of this necklace and my Accessory Concierge friends. When I approached them with this idea, they happily jumped in and got to work!  It is PERFECTLY Fall and will go with so many different outfits.  The Tiger’s Eye beads are absolutely beautiful!

  • 36″ hand-knotted Tiger’s Eye beads
  • Gold gilded polished marbled age pendant
  • All stones are natural therefore slightly vary in shape, color and pattern

I love SHOPPING FOR A CAUSE, and I hope y’all do too!  And don’t just shop for yourself, this would be a great time to stock up on Christmas presents AND help a wonderful family.

This FABULOUS necklace would typically retail for $48, but the special price is $24.

Code:  INCREDIBLEHOLT  After you put the necklace in your cart, you hit the green “CHECKOUT” box, and you will then be taken to a screen with a box where you will write the discount code.

And here it is on me!  I’m telling you, you NEED this necklace!

Let’s all come together to contribute to this cause and support this incredible family!  I know that our community could be such a blessing to Alden, Jeff, and Holt.

In addition to helping to ease this financial burden, we would also greatly appreciate your prays for Holt, the family, and the doctors.  To follow along with their journey and keep up to date with specific prayer requests, click HERE.  Alden writes beautifully about her faith and this journey.  And for those of you that like to pray for very specific needs, Alden does a great job listing very pointed prayer requests.  You can also follow her on instagram at @pricealden.

And to review, here are the ways to help:

  1.  Donate to GO FUND ME
  2.  Buy a T-Shirt (The Incredibe Holt tee or Alden’s tees)
  3.  Buy a Holt Necklace
  4.  PRAY

WE LOVE YOU, HOLT!  You have THOUSANDS praying for you!

Filed Under: Lifestyle 129 Comments

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Comments

  2. Shay Shull says

    I’ve ordered, I’ve donated and I’M PRAYING!!!! Sheaffer, I promise to daily pray for this precious family. I am so thankful you let us help you today raise awareness for them. God bless your entire family as you walk this road.

    Reply

  3. Sheila says

    Love that you and Shay use your platforms for such good causes. I hit up the GF and I will keep that precious family in my prayers. I’ll wait with confidence for the Lord’s healing hand on that little boy <3

    Reply

  7. Sarah Benson says

    2 necklaces ordered and GF account donation submitted! I have been following their story and praying for a couple weeks. Thank you for sharing your sweet family with all of us!

    Reply

  10. Lauren says

    Wow. That little boy is wiser than his years. That video brought me to tears. Praying for quick healing of Holt and for peace during this and continued faith for all of his family and him. I cannot begin to imagine how scary this is, but take comfort knowing that we serve a God who is bigger than these trials. Praying!

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Isn’t he, Lauren? His little voice speaks straight to my heart. Thank you for the love and support! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂

      Reply

  12. Laura says

    Hi Shaeffer-

    My three-year-old nephew (that we now call Grant the Champ) also has cancer and it is just so incredibly hard to watch him suffer. Thankfully he is now 17 months into treatment (he still has another two years to go) and has a good prognosis. This past year rocked my family and our faith. However, while I wish I could take everything away from my nephew, I am so thankful for how God has used this to challenge our faith in life changing ways. I wanted to pass on a book that someone gave me and I immediately bought for Grant’s mom, who immediately bought it for her sister who has lost a child. It is called “Hope When It Hurts” by Sarah Walton and Kristen Wetherell. It is helpful for both those hurting and for those walking alongside them!
    https://www.amazon.com/Hope-When-Hurts-reflections-suffering/dp/1784980730/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538741544&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=hope+when+it+hurts&dpPl=1&dpID=61aB5mamNZL&ref=plSrch

    Reply

  13. Jessie says

    This is a very similar treatment plan we had when our baby was born with a tumor. It’s tough but you can do this! We’ll be praying hard over here in Colorado, and if you need any ideas to give them help during this journey, I’d love to help!

    Reply

  14. Kathy L says

    The video is precious, and Holt’s sweet, little voice just melts my heart–the tears are flowing. I’ve prayed for Holt since you first introduced us to him, and I’ve been following along on Caring Bridge. I’m so glad you shared the ways that we can help support them financially, and I’m happy to join in doing that with others. God is definitely with that sweet boy!

    Reply

  16. Julee Patterson says

    What a blessing you are to use your platform to help your family! Just ordered and will remember to pray every time I see it.

    Reply

  18. Jan Fisher says

    Praying for sweet Holt, his family and the doctors that are treating him. I donated and will continue to keep Holt in my prayers. God is stronger than this!!! Hugs to you all

    Reply

  19. Rachel says

    Sheaffer,

    Thank you for creating today’s post. For those of us that don’t know this family or live anywhere near you (Oregon), it’s difficult to know how to help beyond our thoughts and prayers. I’m a mom of two kids, my husband and I are both high school teachers (& my husband coaches). Like so many I immediately thought – this could be us. And we would not be financially prepared. I’m buying a necklace and adding to their go fund me campaign thanks to you and your post. Thank you so much for providing an opportunity to help just a little. While it’s fun to shop, it’s best when you can also give. Please keep us posted on Holt’s journey. He is incredible!

    Reply

  20. Selena says

    Tear for Holt and his family, and the road that they have to walk. I’m so inspired by their faith! Praying for complete healing, and peace in their hearts. My little boy will soon be sporting an Incredible Holt tee shirt in support! Thank you for sharing, and for the opportunity to give! xo

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Isn’t their faith incredible, Selena? They amaze me and are such a wonderful example to us all! Thank you for your support! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂

      Reply

  21. Sharon says

    Oh my – such a sweet family! I’ve been following along and praying for Holt and all of you since you first told us. I will be donating right now as well. Much love and prayers! Cancer sucks- that’s all I have to say about that. But our God is bigger! Xoxo

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Thank you so much, Sharon! We appreciate your prayers so much, and I’m so happy that people are feeling led to donate too! THANK YOU! xoxo

      Reply

  22. Linda Garza says

    I purchased the necklace and will be praying hard for this family. I am all too familiar with how they are feeling. My son was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 5. It was the absolute worst, this family is going to need so much support. You are an angel for helping them and spreading his story. The power of prayer is amazing.

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Linda, thank you so much for your support. I’m so sorry about your son, and I hope that he’s doing well now. xoxo

      Reply

  24. Amy says

    Continued prayers for sweet little Holt with such a contagious smile! The shirts that were made are just perfect…a gentle reminder God is always with us!!!

    Reply

  25. Danielle says

    I have been following your blog for years and couldn’t read this without helping. Necklace ordered. Thank you for sharing this story; I’m praying along with so many others.

    Reply

  26. Anna Jones says

    Just made a donation to this sweet family! Continuing to pray for Holt, Alden, and the whole family! God is bigger than this!!!

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Thank you so much, Anna! And yes..HE is bigger than this and can do immeasurably more than we can even imagine! xoxo

      Reply

  28. Jill says

    Necklace ordered and prayers lifted up! May the Lord use Holt’s life and story in ways we can’t even imagine!

    Reply

  31. RIKKI POPKIN says

    Sheaffer,
    I have enjoyed your blog so much since your very first post. Isn’t it incredible that it also serves to carry messages like this one today that will reach so many people and bring prayers and funds that are so needed by this sweet family?! Even though we’ve never met(fellow Texan though!), I consider you a friend, and friends are always there for each other. Like the new TV show says, “Friendship isn’t one thing, it’s a million little things.”

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Thank you for being a loyal reader, Rikki! And yes, I love using the blog for good like this!!!! Thank you for your support. xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂

      Reply

  32. Gail Wilson says

    This is truly a face you can’t say no to! Thinking of him and his family. I just bought the necklace for my sister’s
    b-day and added to their Go Fund Me page. So much can happen when good people pull together like this.

    Reply

  34. Valerie Lovato says

    Came over from Cyndi Spivey’s blog. I ordered a necklace and will be saying prayers for Holt and his family.

    Reply

  35. Charlsie Idol says

    TEARS for this family and sweet little boy. I have an 8 year old – my heart hurts thinking of what they are going through. TWO NECKLACES PURCHASED! They will make fabulous Christmas gifts and have such an extra special meaning behind them.

    Reply

  36. Julie Bradford says

    I have been following Alden on IG and reading her caringbridge updates.. she sounds like an amazing woman.. will continue to pray for this sweet little boy and family and doctors.. thank you for sharing and letting us know how we can help… donated and will keep praying!!!

    Reply

  37. Deanne M. Caron says

    Necklace bought and prayers being continually sent! What a beautiful family and so glad they have their faith and the support of so many to see them through whatever lies ahead xoxo

    Reply

  38. Kathy says

    Read this beautiful heartfelt story from you and Shay and donated $$. Will be praying for Holt and his family for his full recovery.

    Reply

  40. Samantha says

    I use to work for a non profit that helps kids with cancer and their families. This cause is so near and dear to my heart. Necklace ordered and Holt and his sweet family will remain in my thoughts and prayers!!!! Thank you for sharing their story!!!

    Reply

  41. Lynn Duncan says

    The last link, for Holt’s Caringbridge site, is where you can get updates.

    Caringbridge is an amazing resource.

    You can post encouraging and loving comments and also click on the heart for their journal entry. And they will know who clicked. Little things like that mean so much, especially for the marathon that leukemias can be.

    Caringbridge also has a link to “support Holt’s Caringbridge” . Nothing wrong with that, but please know that those donations do not go to Holt’s family.

    Sheaffer, I hope they will post the fundraiser links on his Caringbridge for even more coverage. They are fortune to have you on their side.

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Hey, Lynn! I posted the link to the CaringBridge for people to stay updated, but I also posted to Holt’s Go Fund Me for donations! Did I not make that clear somewhere in the post? If so, can you tell me where? I want to make sure my language is clear! Thanks, Sheaffer 🙂

      Reply

      • Lynn Duncan says

        You were very clear!

        But Caringbridge does prominently solicit for donations and I have followed quite a few people over the years, including was too many sweet kids and all too often parents find out that people donated and thought it would go to the family.

        I hope lots of people donate one way or the other for this sweet family.

        Another way to donate is to find out where they end up eating near the hospital and send gift cards, or general gift cards. Those come in handy and there are no tax issues.

        Reply

  43. Jill says

    Praying for this sweet adorable boy and his family! Donated $ and bought a necklace. Please keep us updated Sheaffer. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  45. Lori Savage says

    Donating, praying daily, and sharing his story and the links with everyone I know. Praying they feel our prayers and gain strength from them!

    Reply

  48. Melissa Presley says

    Sheaffer… you are so amazing. And the kindness and love you give just pours out from you. Donation and T-shirt’s ordered but most importantly, I’m praying for your precious Holt and for God’s healing hand in his life. What an amazing light that sweet 3 year old is! Praying for you Holt and his family!

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      You are too sweet, Melissa! Thank you so much for your donations and your prayers!!! Love you, friend! xoxo

      Reply

  50. Holly Sheridan says

    Sheaffer your Instagram story brought me to tears this morning! I have been praying and will continue to pray for dear Holt and his family, and i ordered a necklace!
    Can you link the gray tee you are wearing with the necklace?

    Reply

  51. Prudence says

    I first read about The Incredible Holt on Shay’s blog. Listening to the video brought tears to my eyes; his voice is so angelic and his faith so strong. I am going to donate and place an order for the necklace (so beautiful). Is there a P.O. Box where Holt can receive cards? If there is, I would love to send him one. Thank you for sharing the story!

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      That’s a lovely thought, Prudence! I will ask mama about a p.o. box. Thank you so much for the donation and for purchasing the necklace. That means so much! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂

      Reply

  54. Rebekah says

    Ordered a necklace and will keep this precious family in my prayers! Healing, comfort and peace during this time. Thankful for the HOPE we have in Him!

    Reply

  56. Rachel says

    Just ordered a “let light shine” t-shirt! Praying for Holt and his family. I can’t even imagine how they are feeling right now. Please keep us updated!

    Reply

  57. Jenny says

    Thank you so much for sharing the story of this precious family and Holt. I will be praying for them and the doctors. Necklace ordered. 🙂

    Reply

  60. Melissa says

    My 14 yr old niece was just diagnosed in July with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma B cell. She just finished her 4th round of chemo and the mass has shrunk from 120mm to 4mm. It’s 99% gone! I will stand in prayer with you for Holts complete healing from cancer.! Prayer works!!

    Reply

  61. Nichole Snow says

    Donated and will be praying for Holt. You were so kind to support my friends’ son with cancer last year (Andrew’s Army) and I am honored to pray for your family members and support them.

    Reply

  62. Susan Pipich says

    Sheaffer,
    I’d love to order a Let it Shine t shirt but am confused about sizing… the V necck shirt seems to be modeled by a man, so I wonder if the t shirt sizes (S, M, L etc) are men’sor women’s sizes. The Crew neck shirt is modeled by a woman… Maybe there is a Mens shirt and a Women’s version (Always be Joyful).
    Is it possible to clarify this with her? Is there a contact email address or other means of making sure I order the appropriate shirt?
    Thank you for letting your readers know about the opportunities to support Holt and his family. Praying daily; I am grateful for Alden’s list of prayer requests.

    Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Hi, Susan! I looked for an e-mail address to contact the maker of the Let It Shine shirts and couldn’t find one. Let me see what I can find out. Thank you so much for your support and love! xoxo

      Reply

    • Sheaffer says

      Hi, Jaci! So sorry for the delay! Some have already received theirs (and are SO HAPPY!), but there is a delay with others because of flooding I think. The necklaces are gorgeous and will 100% be worth the wait. Thank you so much for buying one and supporting Holt! xoxo

      Reply

  64. Charlsie Idol says

    They were super responsive when I emailed them – perhaps busy with all of the orders? A good problem to have :o) The necklace is BEAUTIFUL and totally worth the wait!

    Try clicking on the link in the email confirmation to see the status too. Mine showed a status with dates for “Order Confirmed”, “On its way”, “Out for Delivery” and then “Delivered”. I ordered on 10/5 and got them on 10/12.

    Reply

    • JAK says

      Mine still says “Your order is confirmed”. I was just worried because the email says “ship all items within 2-5 days”. I’ve been burnt recently and am trying to do a better job about tracking packages. When they didn’t respond to a couple emails, I started to worry.

      Reply

      • Sheaffer says

        They were at Market all last week, but that’s not like them to not respond to e-mails. I promise you won’t be burned by this company! xoxo

        Reply

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