CINCINNATI -- The Mayerson Gymnasium was filled with people Sunday marking the Eighth Night of Hanukkah and supporting Ethan Kadish.
Ethan was struck by lightning five years ago, and friends hold an annual Eighth Night for Ethan to help the family with medical bills.
Ethan was there in his wheelchair wearing a smile to light up the room.
"It's a beautiful way for the community to come together and support Ethan and his family,” said Brett Stern, a member of Team Ethan.
"In lieu of gifts you'd give your children, you'd bring them together for an experience and that money you'd donate toward his care."
"We're overwhelmed by how lovingly the community has rallied around him for the past 5 1/2 years," said Ethan’s sister, Elyse Kadish
"It's great to have him here this year. To have him be healthy and happy."
Until recently, Ethan’s health was so unpredictable that the Kadish family couldn’t be sure he would be well enough to attend events. The first Eighth Night for Ethan, in fact, he ended up in the hospital for emergency surgery.
But changes in his care have made Ethan much more comfortable over the past year.
WCPO has been following the progress of Ethan Kadish as he continues to recover from being struck by lightning on June 29, 2013. To read the stories, go to wcpo.com/ethan.
