Walker County community rallies around 4th grader battling brain tumor
CORDOVA, Ala. (WIAT) — When Olivia Henderson blew out the candles on her birthday cake, she had no idea her life was about to change.
Just two days after she turned 10, on Jan. 15, doctors told her she had a skull-based tumor.
'She turned 10, and then she got sick that next night,' Diane Murphey, Olivia's aunt, said. 'Olivia has blown us all away because it's like you would never know that something is going on with her. We all have our moments where we're emotional, but she is just — she's just herself.'
Murphey said Olivia had been sick over Christmas break but was otherwise a healthy 10-year-old looking forward to playing basketball at school for the first time.
'Just seeing her and her telling me, 'I'm not scared. Everything's going to be fine,' it makes me feel, while I'm nervous and I'm sad, we're all sad that she's having to go through this at such a young age,' Murphey said. 'I'm pretty sure any of us would take it on for her, so she didn't have to go through it, but it helps us to know that she's being brave, that we can also be brave and have the faith, too.'
The Walker County community is rallying behind Olivia as she prepares for her first surgery on Wednesday. She is a fourth grader at Cordova Elementary School.
'And letting Miss Olivia know she's one of our favorite baby Blue Devils and how much we love her from the depths of our hearts,' an announcement over the intercom at Cordova Elementary said.
Drone regulations could be coming to Alabama schools
Murphey said the brain tumor has not dampened Olivia's spirits. She said Olivia's doctors and nurses at Children's of Alabama get a full taste of her personality and sense of humor.
'On her birthday, she's got like the funniest personality, so she decided her name was Barbara that day,' Murphey said. 'When [doctors and nurses] come in and they're like, 'Hey, Olivia.' She's like, 'My name's Barbara,' and so they call her Barbara or Queen, and sometimes she'll be like, 'I'm Karen now.''
Olivia got to see her classmates again Tuesday before the surgery, riding in style. The whole school put on pink, her favorite color, and paraded outside her limo with signs.
'She's going to love all the attention and knowing that everyone is supporting her and be grateful for that,' Murphey said. 'I don't think she'll ever forget it.'
Murphey said because of the location of the tumor, doctors have not yet been able to biopsy it.
'Specialists from UAB and Children's are all working together, so they have [ear, nose and throat], neuro and all working together to develop a plan,' Murphey said. 'So when they actually go in to do the surgery, they'll also biopsy at the same time and then start the removal process.'
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Olivia's family with medical costs, which can be found by clicking here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Support Onalaska's Hazel & Seth's recovery after a vicious dog attack
ONALASKA, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – A peaceful walk turned into a nightmare for Hazel and her family—and now, they need your help. Haley Radtke has organized a fundraiser on behalf of Hazel, a sweet and gentle three-year-old dog who was brutally attacked by two unleashed pit bulls. While out on a routine walk with one of her owners, the pit bulls suddenly charged and began mauling Hazel. The unprovoked attack left Hazel with a severe bite to her back leg before both dogs tore into her stomach. She was rushed to the animal hospital, where she underwent a critical three-hour emergency surgery. Hazel suffered extensive internal and external injuries, including multiple torn muscles, a surgical drain, and over 50 stitches. Her recovery will be long, painful, and expensive. Hazel is more than just a dog—she's family. Though shy at first, it only takes a couple sniffs and a treat before she's your biggest fan. Her goofy tail wags like a little fan, and if she really likes you, she might nibble gently on your nose or ear as her way of saying, 'I love you.' That same gentle spirit makes this attack all the more heartbreaking. But Hazel wasn't the only one injured that day. During the attack, her devoted owner, Seth, put himself in harm's way to protect her. He dropped to the ground, shielding Hazel with his body. In doing so, he was bitten multiple times in the face, including deep punctures to his nose and mouth. Seth was taken by ambulance to the emergency room, where he received 25 stitches. Despite his injuries and the chaos, Seth refused to leave Hazel's side—his courage and love for her likely saved her life. It ultimately took three grown men to pry one of the pit bulls off Hazel. Now, both Hazel and Seth are recovering from physical wounds and emotional trauma. Their family is asking for support from the community to help cover the mounting medical bills for both emergency surgeries, hospital stays, and ongoing care. As of now, over $7,000 has already been raised, and every contribution makes a difference. The road ahead will be long, but with help, Hazel and Seth won't have to walk it alone. To donate or learn more, visit the official GoFundMe page organized by Haley Radtke. Let's rally together to support this brave duo and help them heal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
9-Year-Old Girl Nearly Loses Hand in Shark Attack
A nine-year-old girl is recovering from a frightening shark attack that nearly cost her one of her hands. Leah Lendel was on vacation with her family in Florida Wednesday when she was attacked by a shark off the coast of Boca Grande. Lendel's family told Gulf Coast News the young girl went underwater to snorkel and came up screaming. Her mother Nadia, who was in the water a few feet away, noticed her daughter was covered in blood and her right hand was partially severed. She screamed for help, and rushed her two toddlers that she was holding to safety, while she and her husband made their way to shore for help. Leah was reportedly able to walk to shore under her own power, where she was helped by bystanders eventually treated by medical personnel. The young girl was airlifted to a hospital in Tampa where she underwent surgery to repair her hand. "They had to get arteries from her leg to the hand. Got the blood flow back to her hand. Install pins in bones. Still has open tissues. They will be monitoring her here for a week. But thank God she can move her fingers," Nadia said. Max Derinskiy, Leah's uncle, has started a GoFundMe to help with medical costs and other expenses. So far, it has raised over $25,000 toward an $80,000 goal. "While we are beyond grateful that Leah survived, the journey ahead will be long and full of physical and emotional healing," the GoFundMe says. "The Life Flight alone comes with an overwhelming medical bill, not to mention the ongoing care she will need: possible surgeries, physical therapy, counseling, and more." Boca Grande Fire Chief C.W. Blosser said in a video statement on social media that there's "always the potential for some kind of interaction with wildlife" in the water, but these "occurrences are limited." "I don't think it's a cause for alarm at this point, and we'll just continue to monitor the waters and the situation," Blosser added. 9-Year-Old Girl Nearly Loses Hand in Shark Attack first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 12, 2025
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Mom, 32, Leaves Heartbreaking Final Social Media Post
Lisa Foster noticed a pea-sized lump in her breast just two years ago, the only sign she had a profoundly aggressive type of breast cancer The 32-year-old has been given two weeks to live, and is now raising funds to have her ashes made into jewelry for her four-year-old daughter, Elena She shared her parting words to family and friends in a heartbreaking social media postA young mom says a tiny lump in her breast was the only sign something was wrong — but it was a rare, aggressive type of breast cancer, and now she's left with weeks to live. Lisa Foster, 32, says she found a small, pea-sized lump in her left breast in June 2023, but as her husband, Adam, told the Daily Mail, 'she thought she just had a gym injury.' When the lump didn't go down a week later, the mom, who hails from the English county of Hampshire, sought medical treatment. Scans quickly diagnosed her with triple-negative breast cancer; It's aggressive and spreads more quickly than other cancers, per the American Cancer Society, leading to a worse prognosis. Lisa underwent a mastectomy and other treatment, but as her husband Adam explained, they were given the bleak news that her cancer had spread and at this point, she was too ill to undergo radiation. 'She wasn't well enough – the cancer had spread to her chest wall, her right breast and her liver,' Adam, 31, said. 'We were told she was now stage four.' She was given a 9% chance that the next round of chemotherapy would help extend her life, and instead, Adam says she was told she had about two weeks left. In a devastating final post on Facebook, Lisa wrote to friends, saying, 'This is probably one of the last posts I'll be putting on social media, although my family may put something when the time comes. Unfortunately, my liver is failing me and I'm not sure how long I have got left to live.' She went on to 'thank each and everyone of you who has guided/supported me through this journey. I value each and every one of you and I will always have fond memories of our time together. Our friendships have meant so much to me and I hope that you can look back on all the good times we have shared.' 'The cancer hasn't won the fight,' she wrote. 'It dies with me and I will fight for as long as I can.' Lisa and her family are now raising funds to leave behind a one-of-a-kid keepsake for her young daughter, Elena, now 4. 'One of Lisa's wishes is to have her ashes made into jewelery for her beautiful daughter so she can continue to be with her always,' a friend explained in a GoFundMe established to help pay for the keepsake and Lisa's impending funeral. 'Lisa and I have been together a long time. We met when we were 15,' Adam told the Daily Mail. 'I don't want to imagine what things will be like when she's gone.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Read the original article on People
