So many times I have done stories here at KPLC and been touched by the wonderful generosity of Southwest Louisiana. None, more so, than the story of Elijah Miller.
Elijah is a 15-month-old Lake Charles boy who was in desperate need of a multi-organ transplant. On Father's Day the family received a call that the organs were available, but with just four hours to get to Washington D.C., they watched helplessly as their opportunity slipped past. The next week they made a call to KPLC. It was a story that any number of us would have been happy to cover, but I was the one blessed to be a part of Elijah's miracle.
The community response was overwhelming. The Christus St. Patrick Foundation secured a grant for five-thousand dollars, companies set up collection boxes, everyday citizens gave from their hearts and their pocketbooks, and children set up lemonade stands to give to the little boy they had never met.
I went to Jennings last week to interview three young girls, Mikal Jeffcoat, Hailie Dugas, and Aimee McNally. Mikal had watched the report on 7News Nightcast and the next day got to work enlisting the help of her friends, making fliers, and prayer cards for what turned out to be the most profitable lemonade stand in Southwest Louisiana. The girls raised over 18-hundred dollars that has been sent to the Christus St. Patrick Fund and now they watch anxiously for updates on little Elijah's condition.
In this day and age where we hear so many bad things about our young people, these girls and all of the children who went above and beyond to help a child in need deserve all of the praise we have to offer.
So here's to all of you who showed us once again, what a "sweet life" it is when we watch out for one another.
I have fulling here at the House authy. It get up to about 5 ft of water here on our streets
Posted by: Patsy | August 23, 2007 at 08:26 PM