Rebuilding a "small world" for a girl with a rare disease.

Seven-year-old Sloane Klein lives with her mother, Erica Klein, and her 12-year-old brother in Pocatello, Idaho. She suffers from spina bifida , a congenital defect that prevents the spine and spinal cord from developing completely, directly affecting her mobility. Sloane uses a wheelchair part-time, crutches, and has undergone numerous leg surgeries and frequent hospital stays.

"She's growing up day by day, incredibly strong. I still tell her she's my hero. Her resilience has taught me more than anything," Erica said.

Amidst her physical limitations, the slide in front of her house became Sloane's rare space of freedom, where she played, made friends, and felt like she was no different. Neighboring children also frequently came over to play, turning the small yard into a true "community playground."

But Sloane's "little world " had been robbed. It was the last morning of January, Sloane and her mother went outside as the weather warmed up, only to find the yard empty, Sloane's favorite toys gone. "I stood there stunned. I didn't understand what was happening," Erica recounted. The family's security camera recorded the plastic slide still there at 7:30 a.m., but it remained "frozen" for the rest of the day. Neighbors also had no video footage.

Little Sloane kept asking, "Have you found my toy yet, Mom?" "That's the only thing she always has to play with and loves," Erica shared.

Dựng lại — Little Sloane is bright, lovable, and always brings joy to those around her.

Tiffany Dansie, a friend of the Klein family, was aware of the situation. "It was a safe space where she could laugh, grow, and gradually build her confidence," Dansie shared on social media.

"We need to be more mindful, and not steal. Some things that might seem insignificant to some people are incredibly meaningful to children like Sloane. What saddens me is that the item taken didn't just belong to one family, but to a child – and moreover, a child with a rare disease. It was the only toy she could play with outdoors, and she had almost no other options," she shared.

According to Dansie, she spent a lot of time with Sloane and found her to be bright, lovable, and always bringing joy to those around her.

Dansie launched a "GoFundMe" campaign with the goal of buying Sloane a new set of toys that were more suitable for her physical condition, including a larger slide and a swing. She even hoped to get a stroller so her mother could take Sloane for walks more easily. Any surplus would be donated to organizations supporting people with spina bifida or the hospital where Sloane is being treated. In a short time, over $1,100 (approximately 29 million VND) was raised.

Earlier, Dansie had asked Erica for her opinion on starting a GoFundMe campaign, and Klein was almost speechless. She said she had never thought about making such a call, as she wasn't used to asking others for help.

"I'm just a single mother. While you sometimes need help, you don't want others to bear your burdens. So when Dansie did that, I was really touched. I saw it as an incredibly kind gesture, something I never thought I'd receive for my own child. And if I were in that situation, I'd probably want to do the same for someone else. It's truly admirable!" Erica said emotionally.

Source: KSL

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/dung-lai-the-gioi-nho-cho-be-gai-mac-benh-hiem-238260425150355749.htm