Lebo makes sure Christmas comes in time for Christian Risner

More than 600 people attended a Christmas celebration in Lebo for Christian Risner, a 3-year old boy who has terminal cancer.

People across the nation celebrated with him.

“People came from all over.… From Arkansas, really several different states,” said Kelly Freund, the woman who helped organize the event on Sunday.

Doctors have told Josh and Sarah Risner their son has less than three months to live.

“He was in pretty good spirits, he seemed to be doing good,” Freund said.

The Lebo Baptist Church threw a giant potluck dinner and hosted a silent auction to raise funds to help pay for the family’s medical expenses.

Santa visited carrying a big bag of toys, enough to delight any 3-year-old, and the Risner family went on a horse and carriage ride to view how the Coffey County town of 900 residents had decorated homes and businesses for Christmas. Lebo is about 115 miles northeast of Wichita, between Emporia and Ottawa.

“He was running around and playing,” Freund said.

The city of Lebo put up Christmas lights. On Sunday night there were brightly lit trees in home and store windows.

Josh and Sarah Risner were enjoying the evening with their son and were unavailable for comment Sunday.

This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 9:39 PM with the headline "Lebo makes sure Christmas comes in time for Christian Risner."