Two of the most powerful forces at work during the Christmas season are tradition and charity. People just want to give back and make the world a better place, and they want to hold onto the traditions that make their own worlds better, or start new ones.
As newer traditions go, it’s hard to beat the Gary Sinise Foundation’s annual Snowball Express.
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The Snowball Express is about as magical and touching an event as you can imagine.
As WESH reported, back in 2006, a soldier’s wife sadly had to open a letter he had penned in the event he died in battle.
In the letter, among other things, he asked that his family go to Disneyland. That last wish soon became an annual tradition — one that was officially picked up by the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2017.
Each year, the foundation flies more than 1,000 kids from Gold Star families to Walt Disney World Resort.
For kids who have had their lives turned upside down with the loss of a parent, the communal spirit and support of being surrounded by others in similar circumstances over five days in the most magical place on earth, can be profoundly therapeutic.
The Snowball Express is only possible because of a heartwarming partnership.
American Airlines donated 13 flights to Orlando, staffed by a crew of volunteers, to transport the 1,000 kids and their caregivers to get everyone to the resort, putting the “Express” in Snowball Express.
And of course, the folks at Disney rolled out a warm welcome to the Gold Star kids.
It’s all about providing the kids with a magical experience, and nobody does that quite like Disney.
The five-day trip is primarily a healing experience.
Not only do the Gold Star families get their time in the park, but they also get opportunities for counseling as well as financial, medical, and educational supports.
But that doesn’t mean they can’t all have some fun, too.
That’s what Disney is all about, after all.
Capping the trip was a parade down Main Street and fireworks display.
“With the Disney marching band playing tunes to add to the decibel of excitement, families of fallen military heroes were given raucous applause and cheered every step of the way as they approached the Magic Castle,” a Gary Sinise Foundation Facebook post said.
And it wouldn’t be Disney World without a massive fireworks display.
“The celebratory atmosphere hit its climax with a fireworks display that astounded children and families alike who marveled at the spectacle and reflected on the last few days of honoring their fallen loved ones,” the foundation’s post continued.
It’s easy to see why the Snowball Express has become a tradition for the Gary Sinise Foundation.
“We want them to know that they’re appreciated and loved. We want them to feel the spirit of Snowball, which is healing, hope, happiness, and joy,” Sinise told KGO-TV . “That’s what this whole thing is about: making sure these children know that we do not forget what they are going through.”
It’s the sort of event that everyone involved can appreciate being a part of.
That Gary Sinise Foundation post’s comments section is filled with glowing remarks, many from parents of kids on the trip, some from people who ran into the group while also visiting Disney World, and many simply from well wishers.
Even the folks behind the masks and costumes creating the magic couldn’t help being touched by the experience.
One person who identified themselves as a Disney World cast member wrote to say thank you, saying “I had the pleasure of meeting some of the families you brought here, and I felt so privileged to have had that opportunity. Thank you for all you do. And thank you to the families whose loved ones have given the ultimate sacrifice.”
When it was all over, Sinise had his own final tribute to the families on the trip as well.
He posed for a pic with a fitting field of flags dedicated to each of the fallen heroes whose families joined in the Snowball Express this year.
