Ft Collins 8-Yr-Old Collects Over 600 Stuffed Animals for Kids in ERs
It's a wonderful story about a young girl turning her grief into healing for other kids. A project that looks to happen every year, starting on her dad's birthday.
Imagine being a second-grader in an ER waiting room after your father's been in a tragic motorcycle accident, waiting to hear how he is. It happened to Marlie. Her father passes away due to his injuries. While Marlie was waiting there at Poudre Valley Hospital, a nurse came by and gave her a stuffed octopus to keep her company and provide some comfort.
The act of kindness, though common in ER waiting areas, has grown into over 600 acts of kindness.
Marlie, who goes to school at Bauder Elementary, wanted to get stuffed animals to other kids 'gong through a hard time, like me.' A few months after her father passed away, she got with her mom and began her stuffed animal drive- 'Stuffies for Emergencies.'
The drive started on November 1, 2018, which is Marlies's dad's (Cody Walker) birthday. On November 27, Marlie and her mom returned to PVH with 616 stuffed animals!
It looks like Marlies has given UCHeatlh the OK to distribute the 'stuffies' to kids in all four of their emergency rooms in the area. It also looks like this might become an annual thing for Marlie. We certainly hope so! We also bet her father is very proud!
Get the full story - and see the photos of all those stuffed animals- from UCHeatlh, HERE!