Rory Feek Reflects on Kindness of Friends, Acquaintances at Christmastime

Throughout Joey Feek's battle with terminal cancer, Joey + Rory have experienced acts of kindness from everyone from close family and friends to fans and mere acquaintances: Her family shaved their heads; fans sent (and continue to send) well wishes, prayers and cards; hundreds gathered together for a prayer vigil; and the staff where she received chemotherapy celebrated the end of her treatment with a special ceremony. Those are just a few of the special gestures, and they haven't stopped in recent days.

"Christmas does what no amount of New Year's resolutions or self-help books can do ... it changes people," Rory Feek writes in a new blog post, reflecting on a few of the most recent acts of kindness. "It brings out the very best in us, and in others."

For example, the staff at a pizza joint in Joey Feek's hometown of Alexandria, Ind. -- where the Feeks are still living -- won't let Rory Feek pay for the pizzas they often order for dinner, and the owner put together a sweet Christmas surprise for their daughter Indiana.

"... [T]hose nice folks had bought and wrapped 25 separate presents (they’re all different books I think) for Indiana to open ... one each day from December 1, all the way through Christmas. What a beautiful, thoughtful thing to do," Rory Feek recounts. "So every morning is “present time” for Indy. She loves ripping open the paper and seeing what’s inside. And I think even more than that, she loves sitting on our laps while we read her new book to her."

Feek also notes that the family recently moved to a larger house in the area -- "another blessing from someone in the community who just wants to help" -- and that their bus driver, Russell (aka, "Russdriver"), has been staying with them and helping out: "running to get Miss Joey more ‘bubble tea’ when she craves it and doing a million other ‘important’ things to help out where he can."

"We have a Christmas tree and some decorations up, and thanks to the nice folks at Pizza King, it’s starting to feel like Christmas," Feek says. "And not just any Christmas -- a very special Christmas -- one that we’ll never forget."

In the new post, Rory Feek reveals that his wife is "still feeling pretty good. Really good actually."

"We’ve been able to keep her pain under control for the most part, and her spirit is just as positive as ever," he explains. "Even more so here lately."

Country Stars Who Stand Up to Cancer