Halloween didn’t go quite as planned this year for 8-year-old Bella Williams. After an unexpected medical emergency and subsequent surgery kept her from trick-or-treating on Halloween night, her Carthage neighbors came together to make sure she didn’t miss out entirely.
Bella had been looking forward to Halloween, but what began as a routine dental appointment turned into a frightening ordeal for her and her family.
Bella’s mother, Johanna Williams, said an otherwise routine dental procedure resulted in material used during the appointment “exploding” and getting into Bella’s eye.
What followed was a series of medical appointments as the family tried to find the care she needed.
After several appointments locally, Bella was referred to Pinehurst Surgical on Friday, the day before Halloween. Her case was determined to need a higher level of specialized care, and she was eventually transferred to UNC before being sent to Duke University Hospital, where she could find immediate, appropriate care.
Bella underwent surgery at Duke on Saturday, leaving her unable to celebrate Halloween with her twin sister and neighborhood friends.
Her mother and neighbors, however, had another idea.
Johanna reached out to the Southbury neighborhood Facebook group in Carthage and asked whether residents would be willing to let Bella go door to door in costume after she returned home, and the request was met with an unexpected outpouring of support.
The day after Halloween, Bella got her chance to celebrate. More than 25 households joined in, and many kept their Halloween decorations up and dressed in costume to welcome her with candy.
Some residents also prepared handwritten cards, and Bella received a plaque commending her bravery.
When asked how she felt about getting to celebrate Halloween after all, Bella had a simple answer: “Happy!”
Happy indeed, Bella excitedly added that the evening was special because she “got to dress up for Halloween” and “liked all the cards.”
Johanna said she was touched by how quickly the neighborhood organized the celebration, especially as the family was making its way home from the hospital.
“It’s been really awesome that everyone just put it together so quickly as we were coming home from the hospital,” Johanna said. “They really gathered around to show their love and support.”
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Photos courtesy Johanna Williams.
Abegail Murphy | Assistant Editor
Written by Sandhills Sentinel assistant editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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