Thousands Respond to Call For Christmas Cards For Girl Who Lost Family to Arson

A young girl who survived an arson attack that killed her entire family has received thousands of Christmas cards in the post, after a call out on social media last week for cards to fill her Christmas card-tree.

Safyre Terry's aunt and legal guardian Liz Dolder posted a photo of Safyre standing beside her card-tree on a Facebook support page that she had set up for the eight-year-old.

Since then, thousands of cards and presents have flooded in for Safyre from all over the world.

Ms Dolder said they have both been overwhelmed by the response.

"I've cried so many happy tears, I think I'm going into dehydration," Ms Dolder told the BBC.

"She's my reason, I knew that when she was saved from the fire.

"The world is so filled with hate.

"Never in our wildest dreams did we think that she'd bring the world together over Christmas cards."

More than 8,000 people have also donated to a crowdfunding campaign for Safyre and her family, which has so far raised more than $300,000, far surpassing its goal amount of $15,000.

The page was set up by a family friend and explains that Ms Dolder's husband, Mike, recently lost his job and the family were at risk of losing their home.

Safyre was the sole survivor of an unsolved arson attack in 2013, which killed her father and two siblings.

She was found shielded from the flames by her father, and suffered burns to 75 per cent of her body.

After Ms Dolder bought a card tree this year, she said Safyre was excited to fill it up but that she herself was a bit more sceptical.

"When she said she can't wait to fill up the card tree my response was 'I don't think it's gonna get filled up but I am sure we will get a few more cards'," she wrote on the Facebook page.

"She believed and all of you are making it happen."