Community rallies to help cancer-battling theft victim
»Play Video
TACOMA, Wash. -- Thieves stole several auction items that were donated to help pay for a woman's life-saving transplant.
But oddly, the break-in might actually help raise more money.
Cindi Hayes is scrambling to save the auction put together to save her life. She's been fighting leukemia for 13 years. Chemotherapy isn't working. She needs a bone marrow transplant.
"I have to do this, or I won't survive," she said.
But the procedure will cost Hayes $600,000 -- money she doesn't have. The auction was to help pay for the treatment. But thieves cut the lock on her storage unit where she kept dozens of items donated for Saturday's event.
"It's devastating when you don't have any money in the beginning and work so hard to accomplish this, and somebody takes it away from you," she said.
Surveillance video captured a suspicious man leaving the site with boxes, and police later arrested him. Hayes said that man was caught at another storage facility with the leaf blower that had been donated to her. But only the stolen blower and and a few bobble heads were returned.
The Problem Solvers were able to donate $500 to Hayes' medical treatment fund. And strangers stopped by the storage unit, offering more donations.
"I'm a retired school teacher and my pictures have sold well in auctions. So I brought some for your auction," said one woman.
"My husband said, 'We've got a motor scooter. Why don't we donate that?"' said Florence Langford, another visitor.
And others pitched in, too. Daffodil Storage donated $1,000. The Elks Club gave bikes and Kathie Lee Gifford signed a bottle of wine for the auction.
The community's generosity turned Hayes' tears of heartbreak into tears of joy.
"My heart was sad, and now feel like it's just gonna pop out of my chest," said Hayes' friend Janice Bauermeister. "I can't believe it."
Now Hayes says the break-in may have been a blessing in disguise.
"Thank you so much. Wow," said Hayes.
Hayes' auction starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Tacoma Elks Club.
But oddly, the break-in might actually help raise more money.
Cindi Hayes is scrambling to save the auction put together to save her life. She's been fighting leukemia for 13 years. Chemotherapy isn't working. She needs a bone marrow transplant.
"I have to do this, or I won't survive," she said.
But the procedure will cost Hayes $600,000 -- money she doesn't have. The auction was to help pay for the treatment. But thieves cut the lock on her storage unit where she kept dozens of items donated for Saturday's event.
"It's devastating when you don't have any money in the beginning and work so hard to accomplish this, and somebody takes it away from you," she said.
Surveillance video captured a suspicious man leaving the site with boxes, and police later arrested him. Hayes said that man was caught at another storage facility with the leaf blower that had been donated to her. But only the stolen blower and and a few bobble heads were returned.
The Problem Solvers were able to donate $500 to Hayes' medical treatment fund. And strangers stopped by the storage unit, offering more donations.
"I'm a retired school teacher and my pictures have sold well in auctions. So I brought some for your auction," said one woman.
"My husband said, 'We've got a motor scooter. Why don't we donate that?"' said Florence Langford, another visitor.
And others pitched in, too. Daffodil Storage donated $1,000. The Elks Club gave bikes and Kathie Lee Gifford signed a bottle of wine for the auction.
The community's generosity turned Hayes' tears of heartbreak into tears of joy.
"My heart was sad, and now feel like it's just gonna pop out of my chest," said Hayes' friend Janice Bauermeister. "I can't believe it."
Now Hayes says the break-in may have been a blessing in disguise.
"Thank you so much. Wow," said Hayes.
Hayes' auction starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Tacoma Elks Club.
