Terminally Ill Father Gets 'Bad News' And Then Finds Hundreds Of Neighbors On His Lawn
October 20, 2023

Matthew Sandbrook, a terminally ill father of three, couldn't believe it when he learned he had just three months or less left to live. The awful news rocked him and his family. And that's when the community rallied together to bless him with one last Christmas before it was too late!
For years, headaches plagued Matthew Sandbrook, who lives in England. But the hardworking dad chalked it up to his demanding night shift at the factory.
RELATED: Neighbors Turn Street Purple Just Before A Sick Girl Heads To Heaven
When the 36-year-old finally got around to making an appointment in 2021 with the doctor, he got about the worst news imaginable.
A Devastating Diagnosis
Doctors discovered a brain tumor about the size of a tennis ball. The aggressive glioblastoma was too deep to remove and the illness was already spreading to Matthew's spinal cord.
The terminally ill father left the appointment feeling shocked and defeated. He had no choice but to go home and tell his friends and family he had only a few months, at best, left to live.
"The doctors told me 'it’s bad news' and told me I had three months to live. I probably have less than that and I don’t know if I’ll see the end of this week," the crestfallen Matthew Sandbrook said.
RELATED: Dying Boy’s Last Christmas Wish Granted Before He Leaves For Heaven
At the time of his diagnosis, Christmas was only a few months away. And the poor dad didn't even know if he'd live long enough to celebrate the holiday with his family. So, he decided to focus on quality over quantity, committing to making the most of the time he has left.
Matthew also shared his story in the hopes of saving others, encouraging folks to put their health first.
"It’s too late for me. I’m a dead man walking but maybe someone out there might be saved if they go to their doctor," he warned.
The grim prognosis understandably left Matthew Sandbrook shaken and disheartened. What the terminally ill father needed was hope. And his Heavenly Father delivered it in the form of hundreds of Matthew's neighbors!
Huge Surprise For Terminally Ill Father
As news of Matthew's dire situation spread, folks in the community wanted to do something special for the terminally ill father. So neighbors started putting together a huge surprise -- one last EPIC Christmas celebration.
RELATED: Neighbor Hangs Christmas Lights In March 1 Last Time For The ‘Grinch’ Next Door
The surprise just kept growing. It seemed as though everyone wanted to shower Matthew Sandbrook and his family with love and light during this dark time in their lives.
By the time folks began gathering on Matthew's lawn, the crowd quickly grew to hundreds of neighbors. They donned Christmas pj's and brought along a snow machine to help set the stage. A DJ cranked out Christmas music and swarms of people rallied together to spread joy to a family who desperately needed copious amounts of cheer.
WATCH: Neighbors Surprise Terminally Ill Father With One Last Christmas
The goodwill shown by all these people had a huge impact on Matthew and his family. The terminally ill father described himself as being "on cloud nine." And most importantly, the act of kindness reminded Matthew that even in his darkest time, he wasn't alone.
"You spend years and years thinking you’re on your own and all this happens in such a short space of time," he said. "I’m totally blown away with today. I’ve got the biggest fight for my life coming up. Let’s hope a miracle happens."
Matthew Sandbrook defied the survival odds initially set by his doctors and lived for another year. Though it was a tough time physically, it was a gift to have more time with his family. On November 18, 2022, Matthew passed away.
Though it was a heartbreaking outcome, the community's response to the family's suffering is exactly how a story about a man facing inevitable death becomes a positive news story.
These neighbors acted as the hands and feet of Christ as they lifted this family up. And it's no coincidence that the family is being comforted by the most hope-filled event ever recorded -- the Christmas story!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Daughter Shares Wedding Dance With Her Father And 2 Days Later He’s Gone
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
WATCH: One Last Christmas Party For Dying Dad
LISTEN: Steve Harvey Gives Dying Man On Family Feud $25,000 Of His Own Money | They Feared Their Child Would Die And Then A Stranger From Around The World Stepped In
h/t: Tank's Good News
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/BBC Hereford & Worcester | Youtube/SWNS
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Repentance - Your Daily Prayer - May 18
Reading the Psalms profoundly transforms our faith by teaching us to bring every part of our heart to God, offering comfort, conviction, and a deeper understanding of His love and guidance through His Word.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Repentance - Your Daily Prayer - May 18
Reading the Psalms profoundly transforms our faith by teaching us to bring every part of our heart to God, offering comfort, conviction, and a deeper understanding of His love and guidance through His Word.
Past Stories
- Brothers Discover 1976 Message in a Bottle, Then Find the Man Who Wrote It
- California High School Discovers They Have 14 Sets of Twins in Their Graduating Class
- Paralyzed Pup Tyrion Finds New Life With a Doggie Wheelchair
- Autistic 8-Year-Old Boy Goes Missing, Found by Water Thanks to Quick Response
- Two Nurses Come to the Rescue of a Teen Girl in the Process of Being Kidnapped
- She Hired a Private Detective and Found the Sisters She Never Knew She Had
- Brave Man Jumps Into Water to Save Woman After She Was Attacked By Bull Shark
- She Was Going to Miss Prom After Breaking Her Back at a Trampoline Park, the Hospital Had Other Plans
- Mom Finds Hope After Tragedy, Hears Her Daughter’s Heartbeat in a Child Who Got a Second Chance
- 90-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Has Saved Over 10,000 Animals, and She’s Still Not Slowing Down
- First Responders Rescue 9-Month-Old From House Fire By Going Through Window
- Playful Black Bear Climbs Playground and Rides the Slide, Just Like a Kid
- Singer Michael Bolton Opens Up About His Aggressive Brain Cancer Diagnosis
- Brave 5-Year-Old Climbs 35 Feet Up a Tree, Firefighters Rush to the Rescue
- Woman Finds Her Father After Almost 28 Years — And Learns the Truth About Why He Left
- Woman Saves Her Late Son’s Best Friend’s Mom With a Life-Changing Donation
- An Indie Bookstore Asked for Help, What Happened Next Will Warm Your Heart
- From Teen Sweethearts to 80 Years of Marriage: ‘God Was So Good to Give Him to Me’
- WWII Veteran Celebrates His 101st Birthday and 75 Years of Marriage to His Loving Wife
- 88-Year-Old Korean War Veteran and Great-Grandfather Graduates From College
- One Year After Losing Boys in a Fire, Parents Find Light in the Form of a Beautiful Blessing
- They Dress Up As Disney Princesses to Bring Joy and Hope to Sick Children, and it's Amazing
- This Couple Parents Triplets and Foster Sons from Wheelchairs, and It’ll Leave You Inspired
- Two-Year-Old is Found By Rancher's Dog After Walking 7 Miles From Home
- Couple Reunites 15-Year-Old Blind Dog With Owners After Finding Her in the Wilderness
- He Saved Her Life in a Pool Accident Five Years Ago, Now They Are Engaged
- Actress Chrissy Metz Left Hollywood For Nashville and She Couldn't Be Happier
- Stranger Helps 81-Year-Old Waitress Who Couldn't Afford to Retire, Now Her Prayers Have Been Answered
- 49-Year-Old Melanie Barratt Becomes First Blind Woman to Swim the English Channel
- 9-Year-Old Boy Remembered By Teacher and Community After Being Swept Away By Flood Waters
- 16-Year-Old Heard a Family's Cries and Saved Them From a House Fire
- Family Grows From 4 to 8 Overnight After Welcoming Identical Quadruplet Daughters
- Little Girl With Autism Reminds Others of Snow White and Her Connection to Animals
- Candace Cameron Bure Shares Fantastic News That Former Co-star, Dave Coulier, is Cancer-Free
- Soldier is Reunited With the Dog She Served With While Deployed
- Her Grandfather Kept a Log of Every Memory He Had With Her Grandmother, and It's Precious
- This 30-Year-Old Feline Might Just Be the World's Oldest Cat
- Special Messages About Love From Kindergarten Class Displayed at Teacher's Wedding
- A Sneaky Brown Tree Snake Slithers Into An Oven in Australia, and Luckily Doesn't Get Cooked
- Florida Man Meets the Son Who Had Been Searching For Him For Almost 40 Years
- Four-Year-Old Sends Out a Message in a Bottle, Receives Reply Less Than Two Weeks Later
- Delivery Driver Saves Woman's Life After Double Checking When Something Didn't Seem Right
- Woman in Heels Stops Robbery at Convenience Store With Her Impressive Martial Arts Skills
- Man That Survived More Than 90 Days at Sea Thought About His Mother Every Single Day
- Quick Thinking 9-Year-Old Saves Choking Friend During Snack Time Emergency
- Video Store Owner Creates 'Christina's Corner' For a Long-Time Customer
- Texas Man Gets Married in the Hospital After Kidney Transplant
- A Bride to Be and Her Best Friend Have Plane to Themselves and Enjoy Every Minute of it
- Dogs Come to School to Help Comfort Young Students Affected by the Eaton Fire
- Toddler Braves the Dark to Save His Great-Grandma
Top Artists
Top Music Videos

Danny Gokey Danny Gokey's Powerful 'Open Up The Gates' Lyric Video

Oak Ridge Boys 'Jesus Is Coming Soon' The Oak Ridge Boys

Alabama Live Performance of 'Because He Lives' by Alabama

Oak Ridge Boys 'Because He Lives' Classic Performance From The Oak Ridge Boys

Colton Dixon 'The Other Side' - Colton Dixon Song For Lost Loved Ones
Blog
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.