UPPER PENINSULA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Instead of Santa and his sleigh, Michigan State Police (MSP) troopers aboard their “Blue Goose” patrol car brought Christmas cheer to a young girl fighting cancer far from home.
On December 13, MSP Wakefield Post staff learned during a Shop with a Cop community event that 2-year-old Vialah White would be spending Christmas in the hospital while receiving cancer treatment. Her grandmother told them that Vialah’s fight began on September 22, when she was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pain. Doctors first believed it might be appendicitis, but scans showed a large mass deep in her abdomen, near her spine and vital organs.
Doctors diagnosed her with high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive cancer most often found in young children. Further testing showed the cancer had spread to other parts of her body. Most recently, Vialah was transferred to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Despite the difficult road ahead, Vialah has started treatment and continues to demonstrate courage.
Since Vialah and her parents could not be home for the holidays, troopers wanted to bring them some Christmas cheer from their hometown in the Upper Peninsula. Troopers from the Wakefield Post shared Vialah’s story with other MSP staff across the Upper Peninsula, and they all quickly teamed up to help.
Within only a few days, troopers worked together to gather toys, Christmas cards, and special items for Vialah. Many of the donations came from the troopers themselves, who personally paid for some of the gifts. Some fellow Yoopers with knowledge of MSP’s plans to surprise the young girl also stepped in to help, making generous donations that allowed troopers to buy some of Vialah’s favorite “Bluey” toys and other gifts. Troopers and their families then volunteered to wrap the gifts to make Vialah feel extra special when she received them.
Once everything was ready, the gifts began a long journey, traveling nearly 600 miles and more than nine hours from the snowy far western end of the Upper Peninsula, reaching Vialah at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor before Christmas. Community Service Troopers from MSP’s Eighth and Second District helped relay the gifts, ensuring there was no impact to law enforcement or public safety services.
“When our troopers heard about Vialah from her grandmother at a community event, we wanted to do something special for Vialah and her family,” said Lt. Ben Eckola, MSP Eighth District Public Information Officer. “We wanted to make sure they knew they weren’t alone, especially during Christmas. Because they couldn’t be home for the holidays, we brought a little Christmas cheer from her hometown instead. We hope it brings many smiles to Vialah’s face and offers some joy and encouragement to her and her family, reminding them that people care.”
For the MSP members involved, this was about kindness and showing support for fellow community members. MSP thanks all who helped make this special Christmas mission possible.
Vialah’s family has set up a GoFundMe to support her in her cancer battle. The GoFundMe is not affiliated with MSP.
