Selfless Wish

Just a few months ago, the story about two boys who shared the same name moved the world with compassion. Though they lived in different places, Brenden Foster and Brenden Heyde had a number of things in common—both were kids who suffered pains due to serious illnesses and both shared the same dreams and selfless love for others.

Once active and playful, 11-year-old Brenden Foster was confined to a hospital bed feeling very sick and weak. Three years earlier, he was diagnosed with leukemia, a serious type of blood disease. Aware of his condition, Brenden showed his own brand of courage in the face of death. While he was confined to bed, his spirit was not.

During his last days, he surprised everyone with a sudden burst of energy. He wanted to hop out of bed and do what he wanted to do. When asked how he felt, he said, “I had a great time. And until my time comes, I’m going to keep having a great time.” Brenden’s selfless dying wish was to help the homeless—that these people would be given a chance to enjoy shelter, food, and water. But because of his sickness, he was too ill to feed them on his own.

The news about Brenden Foster and his dying wish were heard everywhere. People responded in different ways. Some volunteers gave out sandwiches to the homeless. Others conducted food drives or collected cans and goods. Others delivered food and groceries in truckloads; still others donated thousands of cash to different food lifeline in Brenden’s honor.

Learning that the bees there were in trouble, Brenden made one more wish before he died—that wildflower seeds be sprinkled to save the bees. A retired pilot with some pilot and flight-attendant friends did just that—sprinkle wildflowers around the world. Brenden’s wishes had made a difference and moved hearts everywhere. His wish came true and he lived to see it happen.

On the other hand, 8-year-old Brenden Heyde was a third-grader who loved to bike, swim, and play just as any other normal kids. One day, he had a really bad headache and had thrown up several times. He didn’t feel any better after that. Soon, it was found that a tumor the size of a tennis ball had lodged into his brain. A surgery was done right away.

A year later, his family held a “celebration of life” in his honor at their home. Instead of receiving gifts, Brenden chose to collect new toys that he would donate to kids who were undergoing treatment at children’s hospitals. Many responded and donated toys on his behalf. It made a lot of sick kids happy, especially those who couldn’t afford to buy.

Could we be selfless every now and then like these two kids, who chose to give their wish to someone else in need? While we are well and able to do something, we can start showing a friend or a family member that we care by sharing what we have and showing concern for his or her needs.

Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:16, 17).

God has chosen us to do something good to others on His behalf. Whoever we are, or whatever circumstance we’re in, we can make our life and those around us better when we do something good to others and to the world. It would give us great peace and meaning to life when we know that we had accomplished something and made others happy.

You and I can choose to dream to make our world a better place to live. Sounding like an adult, Brenden Foster must have realized what it meant when he said, “Follow your dreams. Don’t let anything stop you.” He said that he felt sad when someone gives up. For some reason, Brenden was right! He never gave up even as he clung to his last hours of life—he never stopped to give!

 

Read more articles on March-April 2009 issue of Health&Home