Forrest Day has been on disability leave since April for a disease that causes bone marrow failure and required a stem cell transplant.

But the 50-year-old Richland man's co-workers at CH2M Hill and friends within the Hanford community haven't forgotten him this holiday season.

Hundreds of Tri-Citians who have known Day over his 20-year career at Hanford, both as a friend and as a soccer coach, have donated $5,400 to his family to help pay up to $250,000 in medical bills.

The effort started small when Karen Carlson, a CH2M Hill financial analyst, organized care packages and visits to see Day in Seattle starting in November.

Day had his transplant at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in September, but had to stay for three months following the surgery.

Day and his wife Mary lived in an apartment 11⁄2 miles from the center. She used emergency family leave from her job at Washington State University Tri-Cities to be with him.

Mary said they periodically received DVDs, soup mixes, cards and Starbucks gift certificates from friends and co-workers in the Tri-Cities.

But the greatest gifts began Dec. 17, when they were forced to come home early after Mary's mother, Patricia Littleton, died in Arizona of a heart attack.

Mary, who was upset and tired following her mother's death, called Carlson asking if someone from CH2M Hill could drive them and their belongings back to Richland.

Forrest's co-workers did even better. They paid for a limousine to drive the couple home and a CH2M Hill employee drove their Nissan Altima back to the Tri-Cities.

"It was so comfortable for my husband because of his back," said Mary, who said her husband has problems with his spine. "It was an incredibly generous gesture."

When they got inside the limousine, they found gift baskets filled with cheese and chocolate.

And they returned home to find their house had been decorated with Christmas lights, decorations and a Christmas tree. The elves responsible were friends and co-workers.

Word about Forrest's disease, transplant and return home has spread through the Hanford community in the past month and hundreds of people contacted Carlson to donate money.

"People would come by my office that I didn't even know and hand me money," said Carlson, who set up an account at HAPO Credit Union for Forrest.

The account is still open and is called the Forrest Day Donation Account.

Carlson and two other CH2M Hill employees visited the Days on Wednesday with a big surprise - $5,400.

The money was accompanied by a letter that explained how the small effort grew because of the Hanford community's love for Forrest.

It was signed "With love, Your Hanford Family."

Mary's co-workers have been gracious to her, too. Some have donated shared leave to her.

Mary said she is so thankful for all the friendship and generosity.

"This is so heartwarming because people came out of the woodwork that we may not have seen for 10 years," she said.

"To get this outpouring from people has helped us more than anything."