Denham Springs family whose 11yearold is battling cancer gets $300K from social media personality
Aug 11, 2026
COLUMBUS - A Denham Springs family who resorted to sleeping in a tent due to the high costs of their 11-year-old daughter's cancer treatment was gifted $300,000 by a social media personality.nbsp;WBRZ shared Katie Tanton's story in April after she was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
, also known as DIPG, which is a rare form of brain tumor.nbsp;Her parents, Breann and Austin Tanton, have been doing everything they can to get Katie well, even though doctors say her disease is terminal.nbsp;The Tantons found out about a clinical trial for DIPG at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. The family was traveling back and forth for treatment until they learned that out-of-state medical expenses weren't covered by Louisiana's Medicaid.nbsp;The Livingston Parish family moved to Ohio in July, but due to the still-high costs of Katie's treatment, they started tent camping to save money.nbsp;Jimmy Darts, a social media personality known for his random acts of kindness, ran into the Tantons in a grocery store on Aug. 6. He asked Breann Tanton if she had dropped cash in the store, and when she replied "no," he gave her $1,000 for her honesty.nbsp;Breann and Austin Tanton shared their story with Darts, who posted a GoFundMe on their behalf.nbsp;Six days later, Darts gave the Tantons $300,000 and a new vehicle for their family.nbsp;Permalink| Comments
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