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NEPHI — A little girl who stole the heart of millions of people three years ago with her viral plea for Christmas cards finally has a headstone.
Addie Fausett was just 7 years old when she died in July 2016 after battling a terminal illness. Sixteen months later, a butterfly-shaped headstone covered in purple butterflies was finally placed at Addie's grave in Vine Bluff Cemetery.
"It's kind of a bittersweet feeling," Tami Fausett, Addie's mother, said Monday. "But now that it's here, it's perfect. (It) definitely represents Addie; it's as perfect as she was."
The headstone was donated by Heritage Memorial Headstone in Payson. The company's owner stepped up to help the Fausett family after learning the money collected to pay for a headstone for their daughter had been stolen.
Family members say Jim Richards, a man they thought was a friend, set up a GoFundMe account to cover funeral expenses and a headstone for Addie, but they never saw the money raised.
"He took what was donated for her headstone and for her funeral and medical bills, and I don’t know what happened to it," Tami Fausett told KSL in June.
Richards was charged with three counts of fraud and one count of forgery. Police say he defrauded one or more charitable organizations of more than $20,000, saying the money would help cover Addie's medical expenses. As of Monday, his case appeared to be headed for a plea deal.
Contributing: Pat Reavy
