Family donates Christmas decoration after boy's stolen

ORLANDO, Fla. – It was nearly a week ago that a family felt like its holiday spirit was stolen when its 2-foot Elmo decoration was taken from in front of their home.

Brandi McMillian said she saw the story on the News 6 Facebook page and that it brought her to tears that someone could steal a child's Christmas decoration. Then she decided to replace the stolen decoration.

"I'm in complete shock, honestly," father Erick Murphy said. "I'm in awe. The fact that this family drove all the way from Daytona -- we live in Orlando -- at night, it's completely over the top. It's just fantastic."

"It really made me mad that somebody took that baby's Elmo," McMillian said. "It's not fair, so I just wanted to give the one we had to him so he could be happy and have it for the holidays."

McMillian and her family had an Elmo laying around the house. They said their son grew out of it and so they thought, "What a better way to give back this holiday season?" A new Elmo for the Murphy family, more than double the size of the original decoration, was soon on its way to Orlando.

"It shouldn't have been taken from him, and to give it back to him, that makes my Christmas," said Keren Wyse, who was part of the family that donated the Elmo.

"The restoration is just twice as much, so our family focuses on giving, too, so it's definitely good to see that back, this little guy or big guy, is actually going to get chained to the concrete " said Murphy.

"I was just happy for him, that he has it and he was so excited," McMillian said. "And the way he looked at it and touched it, he was so happy."

The Murphys don't wish to press any charges, but they said they want the thief to know that their holiday spirit is alive and well.


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