5-year-old with lung cancer's Christmas wish is to get to see Santa in person

PLEASANTON, TX - A little boy in Pleasanton, Texas will have a Christmas to remember all thanks to the kindness of strangers.

Five year old Darian Chapa suffers from a rare form of terminal lung cancer.

"Basically a cancer that feeds off of mucus, something we all have in our lungs. So his cancer is always being fed," Darian's mom, Vanessa Chapa, said.

He was diagnosed with the illness when he was just 18 months old.

Because of his disease he can't go outside much, but like any other kid, he wants to enjoy Christmas, including meeting Santa.

"Kind of like house arrest but he didn't do a crime," Chapa said.

"He likes to be called the special child. He doesn't like to be viewed as the kid who's sick."

So his mother put up a post on Facebook asking for help.

What happened next was beyond her expectations.

"It just went viral," Chapa said.

Alison Pena and her wife Kelly decided to help Darian enjoy Christmas.

The couple bought the family a Christmas tree, presents, put up lights, and even got the Pleasanton Police Department's blue Santa to stop by the little boy's home.

Alison Pena said, "We heard he wanted to meet Santa, but he couldn't go anywhere and it broke my heart, so I said, Well let me see what I can do."

Chapa said, "It's been overwhelming, All I wanted was a Santa for my little boy. We got so much more."

"It just touched my heart, just to see him see lights, see Santa Claus," Pena said.

Pena says she wants the community to continue to pitch in to help Darian have a special Christmas.

So a GoFundMe page has been set up for anyone willing to help.

"We're hoping we get to have Darian for many more Christmases, but this one will definitely be more special to him," Chapa said.