The meaning of Thanksgiving is especially poignant for a pair of local families this year because the kindness of strangers is giving two toddlers a brighter future.

Across Edmonton Little Maddox Flynn has become a household name, with many following his journey since CTV first introduced him in May.

The boy, who will turn three in December, was born with a lymphatic malformation that disfigured the left side of his face. In the spring his dad Mike Flynn and mother Nicole Champagne came forward with a desperate plea: the only doctor who could help their son was based out of New York and the life-changing surgery cost $50,000 – money the couple didn't have.

What ensued was an outpouring of public support, with people from across Canada, the United States and throughout the rest of the world donating the needed funds. So great was the generosity, in fact, that the Edmonton family suddenly had enough money to pay for a second surgery in July and will be able to afford a third one on October 21st.

"The outcome already, just after two surgeries - he looks completely different and he's happy and he's healthy and that's good. It's what we wanted - we just wanted the best for him," said Champagne.

"This [next] surgery what's going to happen is the rest of the malformation of the cheek will be taken out, his mouth straightened, and they're going to skin graft an eyelid."

But here's where things get interesting.

Champagne says as she and Flynn marveled at their son's changing face, a choice emerged: donations exceeded what they needed for Maddox's medical expenses and leftover funds remained in the trust account.

The family had to decide what to do with that money.

And it seems they've made up their minds, at least in part.

CTV News has learned help is on the way for two-year-old Claire Yang, who also has a lymphatic malformation on her face.

Unlike Maddox, the local girl's condition is mostly internal. While the cosmetics aren't as bad – there's just a bulge near her chin - the swelling is serious because of where it's located.

"Around the trachea and the carotid artery …and another part over the temple bone," explained her parents Frank and Flore Yang.

The family says it's been trying to get Claire to the same New York doctor after they saw Maddox's story online.

Since then, the couple has become friends with Flynn and Champagne, who have offered both moral and financial support. A donation of yet-to-be-determined amount will be made once the cost of Claire's surgery is known.

"They don't have to give money to other families, right? But they did that so, it is - I just don't know how to describe how I feel," said Claire's dad, while attempting to sit on his emotion.

"I can't find the right word."

Champagne says she's grateful she can be there for the Yangs, inspired by empathy and the amount of generosity her family has received.

"It feels good to help and they're great people," she said.

"They have the biggest heart and they are exactly how Mike and I were."

In fact, in keeping with this weekend's holiday, the young mother is taking pause, compelled to deliver a message to the loved ones and strangers who've shown her so much support over the past several months:

"I want to thank both of our families and there are so many people throughout Edmonton, Calgary, the States - great friends that we've met. I just want to thank everybody."

With Files from Dez Melenka