Dax bravely battled his disease for well over a year, spending 15 months at St. Jude before doctors determined in the fall of 2009 that there were no more medical treatments available, and sadly told his parents, Austin and Julie Locke, that he probably would not live through December.
Determined to give their son one last Christmas, the family returned to Washington, decorated their home, bought a tree and purchased presents for Dax, even though it was only October. As the story caught on, their hometown and then the entire state of Illinois followed suit, and thousands of people also decorated their homes for the holiday, putting Christmas lights out in the fall that read 'DAX.' CNN heard the story, and soon pictures were flooding in from people around the world who were also putting up holiday decorations all over their houses to pay honor to Dax as he fought for his life, and celebrate the holiday a little early with the brave little boy.
