Daniela Crowned Princess and Celebrated By Our Town
On Friday February 24th, Louis Zayas of the Star Factory, located in Paradise Green, hosted a Make A Wish Birthday Bash for a 9 year old girl, Daniela, who survived a brain tumor during the pandemic. We have all seen the Make-A-Wish news stories happening around the country, and it fills our hearts that communities come together. When the opportunity arose in our own back yard, Stratford rose to the occasion. The story is even more heartwarming when you learn how this event arrived to our little town.
Zayas, a local DJ and owner of Star Factory, was contacted by Make-A-Wish on Tuesday February 21st with a last minute request for assistance. A planned Make-A-Wish event was to take place in a nearby venue but the venue was flooded out. The Wish team was scrambling to find a new venue or cancel the event before the Friday Event. Louis did not hesitate, rearranged his calendar with the Bijou Theatre, and agreed to host this event. But that isn’t all he did…
When Louis found out she only had 6 friends able to come to her party, he posted on Facebook a call to action. “Calling my amazing Facebook family and friends to help me give this beautiful girl the party of her dreams.” The ‘Ask’ was simple. Come to Paradise Green from 3:30-4:00 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, and line the sidewalk leading to Star Factory with a cheering crowd of support to make this special little girl feel like a princess.
The ‘Ask’ spread like wildfire, and was shared over 114 times. The results were beautiful and heartwarming. Over 100 residents came out to cheer on this little girl as she arrived with her family at the special party. Fire engines filled the street, police cars flashed their lights, people chanted Daniela’s name, shook pompoms, while others held homemade signs of support and encouragement. Among those that attended were Stratford High School Cheerleaders, a softball team, Stratford families, Stratford teachers, elected officials, and many more residents.
The Star Factory was decked out in Disney Princess balloons, decorations, and the energy was pure Disney Magic. The Make-A-Wish Team was able to present them with tickets to Disney World with a crowd of cheering support. Friends, family and strangers gathered to celebrate the difficult journey this family endured. It was a true celebration of life and love.
