What a surprise, a child who couldn’t go outside, got his own backyard playground. That’s what Bryan Carroll, who had been diagnosed with leukemia, received courtesy of his best school buddy’s mother, Leanne Christie and willing neighbors as volunteers.
Bryan Carroll, is only seven years old, and he lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in Canada. He is unable to go out a lot as he has to avoid crowds so he is mostly confined inside his house.
With Bryan being best friends with Joe Hermanson, their parents became close as well. One time Bryan’s father, Sean, mentioned to Joe’s mother that he wanted to do something about their yard, but he did not have the time for it.
That short talk inspired Leanne Christie to post a message on her Facebook page and start a Go Fund Me campaign. She was banking on receiving some donations and a handful of volunteers to help clean up the Carrolls’ backyard. She was fully surprised that within four days she was able to raise $3,000 and had more than enough volunteers to help.
Backyard makeover
They timed the backyard makeover while the family was taking a short trip on the 29th of July. With more than 50 volunteers, many of whom did not even know Bryan, they made the short work of turning the backyard that was formerly full of tree stumps into a great playground where Bryan, his elder sister, his friend Joe and other people can spend time together in a safe and fun place close to home. The volunteers used sod and dirt to level the ground and installed outdoor furniture. They added a swing as well.
Big surprise
When the family got back from their trip, they were so delighted with the big surprise that awaited their son. Bryan was ecstatic about the backyard playground and doubly so as he was visited by Canadian NHL star players, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby. They stayed for more than an hour and spent the time playing with Bryan and friends who dropped by. The visit of the NHL players was coordinated by the local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.
The Carrolls are very grateful for all the people who showed love, kindness and support for their son. Marsha Stephens, Bryan’s mother, said that the feeling of being alone is gone and is very thankful for the community support, which allowed them to focus more of their attention on their son.
Copyright: paulmaguire / 123RF Stock Photo
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