While August was supposed to be the anticipation of new classes and football line ups for math teacher Alexandra McCallister and her husband Coach Will McCallister, it was instead the beginning of four challenging months. The McCallisters’ four-month-old daughter Avery has the liver disease biliary atresia. 

  The heroes who helped the McCallister family through that period had an impact.

  “There are no words to describe just how thankful I am for them,” Alexandra said. “We never had to ask them to help, they made a point to help out anytime we needed them to. I am truly blessed to have such an amazing immediate family!”

  Health care workers also made an impact as an extended hospital stay was required.

  “Nurses are truly the heart of the hospital,” Alexandra said. “They are the ones who have the privilege of taking care of the patients. We had several nurses that we had become very close to. They cared for our little girl as if she was their own.”

  Will said his wife was the driving force during their daughter’s illness.

  “The number one hero for me is my wife,” Will said. “She almost never left Avery’s bedside throughout the whole process, no matter how difficult it was on 

her.  I have drawn a lot of strength from her.”

  A community rose to help the family.

  “The biggest heroes I’d say are all the people who went out of their way to help and support us during this trying time,” Alexandra said. “Countless people, many we don’t even know, made it a point to pray for us daily, help us financially, and give all the support we needed while my husband traveled back and forth from Seminole and Houston for four months.”

  Support has come from all sides, and more guidance came from their faith.

  “My faith throughout this process has definitely helped me to get through some dark times,” Will said. “Now that being said, I can’t say that it wasn’t shaken a few times when every time was hard, but now that we’re on the downhill slide I can definitely see the miracles that were being worked.”

  This situation has given the McCallisters a new perspective.

  “I just hope that Avery’s experience can help others as they fight their own battles, whatever they might be,” Will said. “There is a greater plan. It’s just hard to see sometimes. Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

  All the heroes around the McCallisters have helped them come together for the holidays.

  “I just want to say thank you to everybody who has gone out of their way to help our family in this very difficult time,” Alexandra said. “We are hopeful to be back in Seminole in time to spend Christmas together as a family in our home for the first time since August 11.”