The rain fell in slow patterns that evening, each drop falling harder than the last. The phone, ringing louder than usual, startled me while I attempted to complete my first-grade homework. Little did I know this single call would change my life forever. My grandmother picked up the phone, and her face suddenly dropped. She told me we had to drive to the hospital to see Harry, my two-year-old brother.
When we arrived at Harry's hospital room, my 7-year-old mind could sense something was off. The usual smile on my mother’s face was gone. My little brother’s room was crowded with family. A nurse, whose face I had never seen, took me aside and sat me down beside my sleeping brother. She told me the worst news I have ever received in my life, “I’m afraid that today is the last day that you will see your brother. He’s not going to make it.”
Before doctors discovered a cyst forming in Harry’s brain, he was an active child, constantly moving and playing. But after Harry’s brain surgery, he was bedridden. This was difficult for a playful two-year-old, however, my family discovered creative ways to combat his boredom. We brought toys and stuffed animals from home, coloring books and markers. We brought crafting supplies like beads to make necklaces and Playdoh.
On the last day I spent with Harry in his hospital room, I remember laying my head on his small chest, listening to the beat of his heart grow slower, until it came to a complete stop. As I heard everyone’s tears fall around me, I couldn’t help but realize how strong Harry had been during his fight. He endured so much pain during his two-month hospital stay, yet still managed to smile. His bright and happy persona never faded.
After Harry’s passing in 2010, my family was devastated. My mother soon came up with the brilliant idea to channel our negative emotions into something positive. In 2014, we started hosting small parties for children with extensive stays at Children’s Memorial Hermann. The next year, my parents and I decided to formally start a non-profit organization in memory of Harry, my favorite hero. We named it Harrison’s Heroes.
Since the official launch of the foundation, Harrison’s Heroes has hosted countless themed parties for both Children’s Memorial Hermann and Texas Children’s Hospital. From Valentine’s Day to Halloween, no child spends a holiday without a celebration. My personal favorites are the Halloween parties. Every year, all of the doctors and nurses dress up in fun costumes, the patients get their faces painted, wear temporary tattoos and create faux pumpkin carvings. It is so rewarding to see the smiles on the patients’ faces and to know that we helped make their tough hospital stay just a little bit better.
Another favorite annual tradition is creating and distributing Thanksgiving goodie bags. For the first few years, my mother and I would package hundreds of goodie bags by hand. Each bag contained different toys and activities based on the age of the patient. For younger children, we included coloring books, stuffed toys, and some Thanksgiving-themed crafts. For older children, we included novels, puzzles, fun animal hats and crafts. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, my family and I spend hours traversing every floor in Texas Children’s Hospital. We go room to room, handing out goodie bags and putting smiles on the children’s faces.
This event is especially important to Harrison’s Heroes, as Harrison had his extended stay during Thanksgiving 2010. My family understands how difficult it is for each family with a child in the hospital during the holiday season.
Eventually, we enlisted the help of Deacons of Deadwood, a motorcycle club that supports Houston-area children’s charities. Every year in the fall, the Deacons ride their motorcycles in to help package hundreds of goodie bags. It is by far one of the most exciting events of the year for Harrison’s Heroes.
Hospitals are a scary place for young children, so Harrison’s Heroes hopes to make a child’s stay more enjoyable through the small details in everyday hospital life. Our group created a special Band-Aid book containing hundreds of themed Band-Aids from Star Wars to Hello Kitty to Thomas the Train. For patients who have IVs, we provide Medi-Teddys, a stuffed bear that conceals an IV bag. We also offer interactive hospital bedsheets to help patients pass the time. From scavenger hunts to mazes, the colorful bed sheets help to bring a little more normalcy into a child’s life.
Through Harrison’s Heroes, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to witness other kids’ happiness as we deliver gifts and goodies to their rooms. Their faces light up as they see us approaching and when each child smiles, I know that Harrison is still with me in the best way possible: through the joy of others.
To donate, visit www.harrisonsheroes.org, or find us Instagram @harrisonsheroeshouston.
As I heard everyone’s tears fall around me, I couldn’t help but realize how strong Harry had been during his fight with brain cancer. He endured so much pain, yet still managed to smile. His bright and happy persona never faded.
Harrison’s Heroes accepts donations year-round. Each donation, big or small, can make a huge impact on a child’s hospital stay. $10 provides four children at MD Anderson a pair of socks, $20 provides 10 children with hats, $50 provides five Thanksgiving goodie bags, and $100 provides 200 cans of Playdoh. Our mission is to comfort the kids undergoing extensive stays in Houston-area hospitals and bring happiness into their day.