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Community grants dying Tampa veteran's wish to make snow angel

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TAMPA, Fla. — When you live in Florida, having a white Christmas would be a Christmas miracle.

However, that’s what we saw in Tampa Tuesday as 16,000 pounds of man-made snow was created in one military vet’s front yard.

“It felt really, really, good. Nice and cold and oh, it was just heaven,” said 76-year-old Albert Septien.

Septien felt like he was a kid again, living back in New York.

It’s been a tough year for the Vietnam Vet. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“This year has been really bad because I can hardly do anything for myself, I have to depend on other people,” said Septien.

His cousin Joe asked him if he had one Christmas wish what would it be and he said, “to make snow angels.”

“And I said we are going to make that happen and he said, ‘in Tampa? You’re crazy,’” said Joe Maestre.

It turned out it wasn’t a crazy request, it was heart felt. Following an ABC Action News story about his Christmas wish, the donations and snow came fluttering in.

“To know that so many people care and love me to be able to go through all this trouble and create this, thank you all very much, and I want to wish everyone a wonderful Merry Christmas,” said Septien.