By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – A few special individuals are chipping in to help Zachary Combs and his family.
Two benefits were held for Zachary, 5, last month, the young boy suffering from Neuroblastoma.
The first benefit was held at Wal-Mart on Saturday, Aug. 18, which featured a car wash and a bake sale. The second was a spaghetti dinner, held Saturday, Aug. 26, at the American Legion Post No. 51 in Buchanan. Both benefits were very successful. However, the money that was going to be used to help Zachary and his family was stolen.
More than $1,700 cash was taken from the family after the spaghetti dinner benefit. Someone broke into the home of a relative of Christopher Combs, Zachary's father. Tresa Marker, Zachary's grandmother, said the thieves left only about $100 in checks and took all of the cash.
Dr. Brian G. Childs, along with employees at Integrity Real Estate Professionals, contacted the Daily Star wanting to help Zachary.
Childs, who moved to Naples, Fla. from Niles 15 years ago, stated he still keeps up to date with the area and checks the Niles Daily Star online almost everyday. He ran across the article on Combs' benefit money being stolen and stated he wanted to help replace it.
Marker was contacted on Tuesday with the news.
"That's so wonderful. I told you God would find a way," Marker said.
An employee with Integrity also contacted the Star, stating herself, along with a few other employees, want to pitch in.
"It's really nice because you don't find too many people like that anymore," Amy Backus, Zachary's mother, said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Backus stated the donations were real close to the amount that was taken and that everything everyone has done has been much appreciated.