Toy drive founded by dying girl is a giant success
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP » A massive gathering of police personnel and first responders joined together Monday to help deliver more than 24,000 toys to area hospitals.
They were donated in the name of 5-year-old Jillian “Sassy” Massey, a “fighter” and a “true warrior” who died on Dec. 4 after more than a year of battling brain cancer. She aimed to bring cheer to kids who couldn’t be home for Christmas.
Her goal was simple — deliver 50 toys to her peers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. But, even in the first year she exceeded her wish in miraculous ways after an overwhelming response of more than 3,000 toy donations.
This year, the Sassy Massey Toy Drive gathered and donated 24,633 toys and delivered them Monday to children at CHOP, Lehigh Valley Hospital, Doylestown Hospital and the Nemours/ Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.
“These toys will not only fill the hallways of these hospitals just for Christmas, but for the rest of the year. Each hospital is provided with a supply to use everyday with numerous children going through a challenging time who need something to put a smile on their face,” said Jillian’s mother, Janelle Massey. “That, my friends, is what this is all about, making them forget for one minute, or one hour, or one day, that they are sick.”
Massey was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in April 2016. It’s a form of cancer that starts in the posterior fossa, a region of the brain located at the base of the skull. She fought the cancer through chemotherapy and stem cell transplants and was deemed strong enough to leave CHOP and return home to Coopersburg last October.
Jillian had begun kindergarten at Southern Lehigh Elementary School this year when her family learned that her cancer had spread beyond her brain and into her spinal cord. The only option that remained was to put her into palliative care, which managed her symptoms and allowed her to live life as fully as possible.
She was respected for her resilience during treatment, ensuring those around her with the steadfast remark, “I got this.” Her two older brothers, Jack, 12, and Jake, 7, remember her both for her fighting spirit and her ceaseless thoughts for the well being of others.
Making an appearance at a Target in Quakertown the day before Thanksgiving, Jillian helped kick off the second year of the Sassy Massey Toy Drive.
Afterwards, her health steeply declined. Two weeks ago her family posted a status to their Facebook page to say that their daughter had died.
“Jillian closed her eyes at around 8 pm tonight and opened her wings to fly home to her tribe of angels today. It was peaceful and perfect in so many ways,” the post reads. “She didn’t lose this battle because she never knew she was battling. Rather she won. She won the right to be a 5-yearold showing the world how to live and not worry about fighting a monster that she didn’t know existed or ever had a fair chance at beating. There is no fight in the unknown.” The overwhelming support was due in large part to Janelle’s coworker at Ryan Homes of West Chester, Dan Emmerson, who helped set up the toy drive and organized the massive delivery on Monday.
With help from the Ridley Police Department, spearheaded by Detective Jerry Scanlon, a procession of officers gathered from Darby Township Highway Patrol, Wilmington Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department, Delaware State Police and Pennsylvania State Police. It included over 100 police motorcycles, mounted officers and K-9 units.
“By looking at everyone present, it is more apparent to me now than ever that Jillian touched the lives of so many people,” Scanlon said. “She left us some unfinished business, so let’s make her proud today.”
Distribution of the gifts was done by Jeff Tyler and the Tyler Transport Solutions who utilized their fleet of delivery trucks to make the toy donations possible.
The Ridley Township Police Department bestowed the honorary title of posthumously swearing in Officer Jillian Paige Massey Monday, offering her family a jacket fit for Jillian encased in glass to her family. The badge number, 150, was immediately retired.
Massey ended her speech with a recording of the CEO herself, Jillian, recorded last year in sending her thanks to all who gave their heart and soul to helping the children of Christmas.
“Thank you every police officer and thank you for taking me down to CHOP,” spoke Jillian’s voice. “I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Thank you. I got this.”