Twitter has the amazing power of bringing people together. Often it can be because of trivial things like a reality tv star's current antics. Sometimes, though, it unites us in a much more powerful way.
I will never forget when my friend Heather told us all that her sweet little son Zack was gone. We all wanted to help her. Even though there was no way we could take away her pain, many people added Elmo to their avatars to show that their hearts were breaking too. They did this because Zack loved Elmo. And they loved Zack and Heather, even though some of them had never met them in real life.
When Heather decided to create Zack's Dream Room in honor of her son, I knew I had to get involved. Heather inspired people to donate $50,000 to transform two isolation rooms at York General Hospital. I offered to help paint the room, along with the super talented Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault and Ryan Durrell. Leigh-Ann and I met with Heather and visited the rooms and wow were they plain. Not a place you want your child to be when they need to heal. We started asking Heather about Zack. As soon as she mentioned bubbles, an idea was born: Elmo blowing bubbles across the room and in each bubble, a picture of Elmo doing the things Zack loved to do: playing the drums, eating fruit loops, having a bath.
On a sunny weekend in May, together with Heather's amazing family and friends, Zack's dream came true. We created his dream room. I feel so honored to be a part of such an amazing project.
photos courtesy of Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault and Nelson Cardosa
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