You know I love a good boy and his dog story, well just about the only thing a boy may love about as much as his dog is his pokemon cards. Bryson Kliemann’s Pokémon card collection is his most prized possession. But the 8-year-old boy from Lebanon, Va., decided to sell it to save his dog’s life.
When Bryson learned that the 4-month-old puppy, Bruce, needed an expensive medical treatment to survive, he knew he had to do something. “Bruce got sick and needed my help,” Bryson said. “I was super sad. I didn’t want to lose my best friend.”
He hatched a plan to sell the beloved Pokémon card collection that he had been accumulating since he was 4 years old. He set up a simple stand on his front lawn with a large wooden sign that read: Pokemon 4 SALE.
Brysons father sent a picture of Bryson selling his cards to Woodruff which she shared on a local Facebook group, in the hope that it might encourage neighbours to stop by and acknowledge her son’s efforts. She wasn’t expecting anyone to react, she said, but the instant outpouring of support “was overwhelming.”
Woodruff received a flurry of messages and comments from people in the community asking to donate, and given the demand, she decided to start a GoFundMe to raise just enough money to cover the cost of the treatment. “I didn’t want him to have to sell his cards,” Woodruff said.
Bryson’s story also touched people outside the Lebanon area, including an employee at the Pokémon Co. in Seattle, who sent him a package filled with rare cards. When it arrived, “I couldn’t believe it,” Bryson said. “I was so, so, so, so excited.”
The package contained a note that read, “Hey Bryson, we were so inspired by your story about selling your cards for your dog’s recovery, these are some cards to help you replace the ones you had to sell.” Woodruff said, “I was amazed. I didn’t think it would reach them.”
Woodruff contacted the vet’s office where Bruce was treated, and “I told them if anyone comes in and they need any help paying, please let me know,” she said, adding that she also donated to a local animal shelter.
So far, the funds have helped three other families pay their veterinary bills. “We definitely want to pay it forward. It’s a horrible situation to be in,” Woodruff said. “Knowing other families go through the same thing, we want to help.”
Bruce is now at home and healthy, and although he is still receiving treatment and being closely monitored, “he is definitely back to his puppy self.”
Fetched from The Washington Post