Girl with rare birth defect gets thousands of cards for her birthday

A young girl has thousands of cards to open on her birthday, thanks to the generosity of strangers.

Ava Graziano turns 3 years old Thursday. Her parents said she couldn’t have a birthday party because of her rare birth defect, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH.

Ava asked her mom for birthday cards instead of a party this year.

“I call them her angels, because that’s what they are. They’re making her birthday possible,” said Dawn Graziano, Ava’s mother.

Over the past two weeks, cards, letters and packages from around the world have made their way to Ava’s house.

“I basically have to go to the house every day,” said USPS mail carrier Randy Rios. “She usually gets excited and starts running around the house.”

Rios loaded up his truck with dozens of packages and crates of letters to deliver to Ava on her birthday.

“I think it shows a lot of compassion from a lot of people across the nation and across the world,” Rios said. “It’s pretty awesome.”

Ava’s mother was told her daughter might not be alive on her third birthday. She has overcome the odds and is getting support from thousands of people.

“We’re extremely grateful and want to thank everybody,” Dawn Graziano said. “It’s helping our family grow and it’s helping with her difficulties.”