Christmas Eve 2014

Below is a story that illustrates what the Christmas season is all about. If only that spirit could last throughout the entire year.

Tiny Ava Urrea and enormous Menelik Watson produced one of the more heartwarming stories of the football season.

The 4-year-old was a special guest at the Bills-Raiders game Sunday...

Ava was born with hypoplastic left-heart syndrome. Her heart didn’t develop correctly and she has basically half of a heart. Her first open-heart surgery came when she was just five days old. She since has had two more open-heart surgeries and more than 20 surgeries in her young life. There is no cure.

“We are enjoying each moment and praying,” Amy Urrea said, noting how emotional she got last month when Ava turned 4.

“Every milestone is such a big deal,” she said.“We’re making memories for our family.”

One astounding memory came thanks to Watson. The Raiders’ offensive tackle, who was out again Sunday with an ankle injury, met the Urrea family Friday, when Ava was the honorary captain for practice and had lunch at the facility. He had his game paycheck in his hand and decided on the spot to give it to the Urrea family.

“I felt like if there was anything I can do I wanted to do it,” Watson said. “I have a daughter of my own, who is 6. It just felt right to me.” ... He handed Edward an envelope.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Edward said, upon opening the envelope and seeing its contents.

The Urreas hope to use the surprise as seed money to start a foundation for other families dealing with Ava’s condition ... Doctors have told Amy and Edward that Ava won’t survive past her early teens, but they also know that expectations and advancements in science could change her prognosis dramatically in the coming years.

The Urreas had to buy an extra suitcase to bring home all the Raiders’ gear and gifts from the weekend. Ava was decked out in black from head to toe. Some of Watson’s generosity might help pay for a new costume from the movie “Frozen,” the gift that Ava hopes Santa will bring her this week.

I hope Santa brings that little girl and her family everything they want.

Stories like this make me realize how much I have to be grateful for, and how truly insignificant most of our 'problems' really are.

Now for a little Christmas Eve humor to lighten the mood.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas to you and yours!