‘She puts everyone else first’: Grieving Texas farmer gets greenhouse and mower thanks to Little Wishes

DALLAS – Detroit is a tiny town in Red River County, close to the borders of the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

And it’s not pronounced the way you think.

The stress falls on the first syllable.

Debra and Kevin Galland quickly realized this when they moved into a house near Detroit.

Kevin can’t do manual labor outside, so his wife works the land, raising chickens and growing broccoli, spinach, peas, and blackberries.

And she did it all next to their son Stephen.

An army veteran who survived Iraq and Afghanistan, Stephen lived just a few pastures from here.

“It was fun. It wasn’t work,” Debra said.

“It was their game time,” Kevin said.

Stephen died suddenly in 2020.

Now Debra does everything alone.

“She works so hard all the time,” Kevin said. “She works from morning to night.”

Kevin nominated his wife for “Little Wish” and Sam Pack Auto Group gave her a $4,000 gift card to cover the cost of a greenhouse and a lawn mower.

He surprised Debra with the news during a video call with the WFAA.

“She always does for others. She doesn’t put herself in a fist. She puts everyone else first,” Kevin said. “She’s one of those people.”

Debra said the greenhouse will help extend her growing season, which means she can share her crops with others in her community.

A mower will help lighten its load.

Through her tears, she thanked her husband and said, “I think Steven had something to do with it.”

Click here nominate someone you know for Little Wish.