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Letters keep coming in for girl who lost family in fire

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (WIVB) – Cards, letters and packages continue to pour into the post office in Schenectady, N.Y., which has already processed more than 1.7 million pieces of mail. All of it is for one, 8-year-old girl named Safyre Terry. Volunteers are spending 12 hours each day sorting through all of it.

Safyre was severely burned and disfigured in an arson fire that killed her father and three siblings in 2013. She was the only survivor, with burns covering 75 percent of her body.

In December, Safyre told her aunt, Liz Dolden, who she now calls mom, that all she wanted for Christmas was enough cards to fill her Christmas card tree. A Facebook post about her wish went viral, prompting people all over the world to send cards to Safyre. That includes the First Family.

“You sound like such a brave girl, and you have inspired so many people around the world, including the president and me,” Michelle Obama wrote in a letter to her.

Dolly Parton, Katy Perry, and several other famous names have sent letters. Children at Roosevelt Academy in Buffalo also contributed to fulfilling Safyre’s Christmas wish.

Dolden has set up a trust for Safyre with the donations she has received. She and her family have also already donated many of the gifts and money to other organizations, including the burn unit in Westchester where she received medical care. She wants to continue to pay forward the kindness so many people have shown her, from around the world.

Volunteers are still need to sort through the mail that continues to arrive in Schenectady. Anyone is welcome.

The address for the warehouse where the sorting is taking place is 695 Rotterdam Industrial Park, Rotterdam, N.Y. Building 3, Bay 6.