One little boy’s desire to bring a smile to the faces of other kids going through serious medical issues has evolved into an annual toy drive.
Elijah Dimas died from Ewing Sarcoma two weeks before his 11th birthday. For the fifth year, the Dimas family has hosted a toy drive to honor his memory and put a smile on the faces of hospitalized children, according to an Aug. 14 KRQE report.
“Even throughout his treatment, he loved giving back to other sick kids at the hospital,” Anthony Dimas, Elijah’s father told KRQE. “He bought a couple of little treasure chests to stick at the hospital. He’d fill them up with toys from his own allowance. We got the idea from that.”
The family hosts a birthday party for Elijah each year, according to KRQE. All toys collected during the party are donated to the children in the hospital. It allows Elijah’s memory to “still bring happiness to other kids in New Mexico,” his father said.
According to KRQE, the family received enough gifts this year to surpass last year’s total of 1,409.
