A Scots man has raised thousands for charity with a huge Christmas light at his home in memory of his tragic 18-month-old cousin.
Jordan Buckland, 22, partner, Derrie McAlpine, 23, decked out their house in Kilmarnock with over 60 unique Christmas lights, a laser show, a snow machine and a visit from a sweetie van. The couple spent two weeks setting up winter wonderland.
Since running the light shows over the past three years, they have grown to be a popular yearly event in the area, with over 300 people turning up on Saturday for the switch on. Each year Jordan tries uses his efforts to fuel a charity drive following the sad passing of his young cousin Joey Forte.
Joey died in 2015, aged just 18 months, after suffering from Krabbe disease, an extremely rare degenerative disorder of the nervous system, which occurs in about one in 100,000 births. Having raised £600 for Ayrshire mental health charity Megan's Space last year, Jordan has so far managed to hit more than £1500 donations for Children's Hospices Across Scotland with his latest show.
Joey's mum Linzi McKimma was over the moon at Jordan's kind-hearted gesture, with CHAS 'holding a special place in her heart'. Speaking to the Record, Jordan said: "It was a really emotional night and we had music playing, a snow machine, a mobile sweet shop and I arranged for the local fire brigade to come along and drive by with their lights flashing.
"We have tied up a bucket outside for folk to donate and also have a Just Giving page for online donations but we have been blown away by the support. There were people queuing up around the block on Saturday, it was just unbelievable.
"We wanted to make it special for Linzi and Joey's dad Tony because we know how hard it must be for them at this time of the year. It would have been his birthday this week, so Linzi felt it would have been too much for her.
"But Tony came along with Joey's little brother Jack, 5, and his wee sister Ella, 4, and they switched on the lights."
Joey, born in December 2013, developed normally up until he was five-months-old when his progress slowed and motor skills stopped. Doctors then diagnosed him with Krabbe disease at Glasgow’s Yorkhill Hospital in September 2014.
The family then prepared for the worst with little Joey given just months left to live. He died in his parents' arms at the age of just 18 months the following June.
Parents Linzi and Tony, from Hurlford, soon started their own fundraising efforts in a bid to raise more awareness over the deadly condition. Jordan added: "Joey's passing hit the family hard and we are still recovering from the ordeal but this was just our small way of showing my auntie how much he meant to us all.
"It was such a horrible time and it all happened so quickly. We decided to choose CHAS this year because we know how special a place they hold in my auntie's heart.
"When Joey was ill, CHAS would take them in and offered my auntie Linzi and Joey a calm place to get away from it all."
CHAS Community Fundraiser Maxine Campbell said: “We are so grateful to Joey’s family for their support.
"All funds raised through this very special fundraiser will go towards helping CHAS continue its work supporting children with life-shortening conditions and their families right across Scotland.”
Jordan will continue with his fundraising efforts throughout December to raise as much money as possible.
You can donate to his charity page here.
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Jordan said: "We decided to choose CHAS this year because we know how special a place they hold in my auntie's heart.
"When Joey was ill CHAS would take them in and offered my auntie Linzi and Joey respite and a calm place to get away from it all.
"Joey's passing hit the family hard and we are still recovering from the ordeal but this was just our small way of showing my auntie how much he meant to us all.
"CHAS just seemed like the perfect charity to donate to with it being Christmas and the local community have really got behind what we are trying to do and we've already smashed our fundraising target.
"We have tied up a bucket outside for folk to donate and also have a Just Giving page for online donations but we have been blown away by the reception. There were people queuing up around the block on Saturday and the reception has been unbelievable so far."
Already Jordan and Derrie have managed to raise a whopping £1500 for CHAS as a means of thanks after they cared for his cousin in his final months.
Joey was born in December, 2013, and died suddenly on June of 2015 after a brief bout of coughing.
In the months beforehand Joey's family believed his condition was stabilising before his health deteriorated rapidly.
His devastated parents Linzi Mckimma and Tony Forte, from Hurlford, started up their own fundraising efforts in the aftermath of the tragedy to raise more awareness about the deadly condition.
Jordan continued: "It was so horrible at the time for my auntie Linzi and it all happened so quickly.
"She was really delighted that we were doing this and really supportive but she didn't feel able to attend on Saturday night when we switched the lights on.
"It was a really emotional night and we had music playing, a snow machine, a mobile sweet shop and I arranged for the local fire brigade to come along and drive by with their lights flashing.
