OLIVE BRANCH, MS (abc24.com) - It may be Black Friday, but they're lighting up the night in Olive Branch. This is the second year a Mississippi family is putting on a huge holiday light display dedicated to a Mid-South toddler.
Holiday lights are a tradition for many, but Raul Valenzuela takes his display to a whole other level, creating a 45 minute festive fanfare synchronized to music.
"We've doubled the lights," Valenzuela says. "There are twice as many as last year."
Bella's Lights is a great big showing of Christmas cheer in honor of Bella Parker.
"You see her and you can't help but to fall in love with her," says Valenzuela.
Bella has a rare form of brittle bone disease. She turns three at the end of January and has already broken 28 bones.
It has been a tough life for Bella, and hard for her family to keep up with the costly care. That's where Valenzuela comes in. This will be the second year he's used his lights as a fundraiser for the Parkers.
"Last year we had just met them and knew them maybe a month before the show. Since then we've spent time together, we've become really good friends. Best friends," says Bill Parker, Bella's dad.
The two families' friendship has grown, and so has the display. They've added more lights, extra decorations, and they're hoping all of that adds up to more money in the donation box.
"I'm anxious to see what's going to happen this year," Valenzuela tells abc24.com.
Last year, Bella's Lights brought in $5500. It's money Bella's family needs.
"There's a lot of travel expenses we incur," says Parker. "Really that's the biggest thing. We have to go to Omaha, Nebraska at least once a year. This year we're going twice."
Their second trip is in the middle of December to see a specialist who'll put rods in Bella's legs.
"If she were to try to walk right now her legs would probably buckle under her own weight," Parker tells abc24.com. "The rods would help her walk if she chose to. The doctor did say a lot of kids find it painful to walk so she won't walk much, but if she does want to this will allow her to do it."
The donations from the light show are partly allowing the family to make the trip.
"It takes a lot of stress off things," says Parker. "If the doctor says she needs something that insurance won't cover we have a means of helping her get it."
"If we could help her out and give the message of Christ and true meaning of the season with our small show we've done what we're supposed to do," Valenzuela tells abc24.com.
You can check out Bella's Lights on Alexander Road in Olive Branch. The show runs from 5:30 to 10:30 each night through New Year's Day.
