Turning out for Tyler

SANDPOINT - The line circled the inside of the Bonner County Fairgrounds main exhibit hall, weaving its way through and around the tables.

People chatted and exchanged hugs while family photos of a laughing toddler with mischievous eyes and impish grin played across the screen.

Organizers for Saturday's benefit for 14-month-old Tyler Cordle, who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma cancer in early December, had worried that 500 was too big a number to hope for and toyed with the idea of lowering the count for food to 350 people.

That worry ended soon after doors opened. Within 45 minutes, the parking lot was full and the main exhibit hall was packed.

At one point food was running low and Jim Lippi, who donated food to the event, ran back to Ivano's to quickly cook spaghetti to ensure hungry folks would have something to eat, said Andrea Littlefield, one of the benefit's co-organizers.

"It's been a huge eye-opener and a life-changing thing to see how many people put time in to help and how much they care," said Andrea Cordle, one of the event's organizers and Tyler's aunt.

By the end of the night, an estimated 1,600-1,700 people had stopped by and, according to a preliminary tally, more than $47,000 was raised. That sum could increase once final auction bids are collected and added to the total.

"It's a conservative estimate," said Steve Reeves, benefit co-organizer. "I think the prevailing feeling is 'Wow.' "

The good news continued Tuesday when doctors told Tyler's parents, Sagle firefighter Jason and Kristine Cordle, that new scans showed the main tumor on his kidney decreased by more than half and two spots on his legs also decreased. Two spots on his head and a spot on his chest wall have vanished.

Once Tyler concludes six rounds of chemotherapy at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Spokane, the family will travel to Seattle where the toddler will undergo surgery to remove the main tumor and receive a bone marrow transplant.

The community's support means so much to the family, Andrea Cordle said.

"Honestly, we just feel really blessed right now and right now we're so very, very happy," she added shortly after receiving word of Tyler's response to treatment. "I don't think it could have gone better than it did."

When told of the benefit's success and community's support, Cordle said her sister-in-law was speechless.

"She was in tears she was so happy," she added.

The sheer volume of support and generosity stunned them, organizers said.

"It is just amazing," said Joline Wolf, one of the benefit's organizers. "It was amazing to see the outpouring of love and support for the Cordle family."

Co-organizer Andrea Littlefield agreed. 

"We were blown away," she added. "No one imagined that many people would show up."

Organizers attribute the event's success to the community's generosity, a strong get-the-word-out campaign and the tight-knit bond among firefighters and other emergency personnel.

Even though times are tough, businesses donated items needed to hold the benefit as well as auction items. Individual also have stopped firefighters on the street to donate and checks still arrive at the fire station, said Sagle Fire Chief Rob Goodyear.

The response just reinforces why so many people choose to live here - people care and take care of each other, Goodyear said.

"It's refreshing that even in these tough economic times for the community to come together and support an important endeavor, to see everyone support Tyler," he said.

And, while the benefit was successful beyond their wildest dreams, organizers said it won't be the last fundraiser they'll have to hold to help Tyler in his fight against cancer.

While the family has medical insurance, there are still bills that it won't cover or won't cover completely.

"We raised a lot of money, and it's amazing, but it's a drop in the bucket to what they'll need," Littlefield said.