It’s always touching to be presented with stories of selfless love and how it can conquer the toughest of obstacles. Today, we have just that kind of tale to share with you. But first, let’s get to know our central characters.
Bryson Kliemann is an eight-year-old from Lebanon, Virginia, and he has a passion for Pokémon. He watches it constantly and has a vast collection of Pokémon merchandise, including an impressive array of Pokémon cards.
As you might expect, these Pokémon items hold a special place in Bryson’s heart, and it would take a lot for him to part with any of them. Yet, that’s exactly what he did. We’ll tell you how it happened and why, but be warned: this story is sure to pull at your heartstrings and might even bring a tear to your eye.
Another thing Bryson loves more than anything else is the companionship of his four-month-old Labrador mix puppy, Bruce. Both he and his sister love to play with the dog, but Bryson spends most of his time with him. And, of course, Bruce loves to play with Bryson.
But one day, things took a turn for the worse. Suddenly, Bruce lost his energy and became inactive, which is a sure sign that something is wrong, as any pet owner knows. He stopped eating and refused to leave his kennel. Something was definitely amiss.
Meet Bryson, the young hero who sacrificed his beloved Pokémon card collection to help his furry best friend, Bruce
One day, Bruce lost all energy for life and it was clear something was not right
It turns out Bruce had parvovirus, a deadly infection whose treatment cost $700, which was out of the family’s budget
When the family took Bruce to the vet, they were devastated to learn that the pup had contracted parvovirus, a potentially fatal infection if left untreated. The cost of the treatment was a staggering $700, and the family simply couldn’t afford it. That’s when Bryson stepped up, determined to save his beloved pup. With a flash of inspiration, he came up with a brilliant plan.
Bryson decided to sell his huge Pokemon card collection and he raised $65 on the first day
Remember we mentioned Bryson is crazy about Pokemon and has a huge Pokemon card collection? Well, he decided to sell them to help pay for Bruce’s parvovirus treatment. He immediately got his collection and made a stand near his driveway. His sign read “Pokemon 4 sale” and he raised $65 on the first day. Day after day, he would take his collection and spend his time on the stand, waiting for buyers.
The word spread and Bryson kept raising money. Then, his mother Kimberly started a GoFundMe to help with the efforts
Bryson’s mother, Kimberly Woodruff, was inspired by her son’s determination and she decided to help. So, she created a GoFundMe page for Bruce with an $800 goal. Soon, the word spread like wildfire, and more money started coming in as people from all over pitched in to help Bruce.
At the end of the day, Bryson made $400 from his Pokemon cards alone! This is an impressive feat for an 8-year-old boy, so naturally, the local news heard the story and decided to share it.
As such, the GoFundMe page started receiving a bunch of donations. People all over town heard the story and were moved to help this lovely kid and his dog. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you’re willing to let go of material possessions to help someone you love.
The Woodruff family hit the floor running and they soon could afford Bruce’s treatment
The fundraising efforts were a big success, but there was no time to lose. As soon as they had enough money, they took Bruce to the vet and the parvovirus treatment started immediately. They all crossed their fingers and held their breath, hoping that it wasn’t too late for little Bruce…
After receiving the treatment, Bruce started to get his health back
Fortunately, Bruce got his health back little by little. He had to stay at the vet while he received his treatment but the family visited often. Every time they visited, Bruce was happier and livelier. They were all impatiently waiting for things to fully get back to normal!
Donations kept coming in and they ended up raising $15,000!
While they waited for Bruce to get better, donations never stopped coming in. Once the original goal of $800 was achieved, people kept donating, and, in the end, they raised $15,000. No one in the family expected they would raise more than they needed, so to say they were surprised is a big understatement.
The rest of the money was donated to help save other sick dogs in need of treatment
Since they raised a lot more money than they ever thought, they decided to donate the rest to fund treatment for other sick dogs. To mark the occasion, the family organized a fundraiser event at one of Bryson’s favorite comic book stores.
Bryson was incredibly happy when he was reunited with Bruce!
As the days went by and Bruce got better, he was finally ready to return home. When Bryson was told Bruce would finally be taken home, he had the biggest smile of his life and he was just glowing. Bruce was also very happy to get back home! He was wagging his tail and jumping around, very excited to be reunited with his friend.
And there’s no happier ending!
Once the two best friends were reunited at home, everything fell back into place! As you can imagine, the experience bonded them even closer together. Bryson and Bruce have been truly inseparable, and there’s no happier ending than that!
Share the story to remind people of what love can inspire us to do, not just for other people, the way all those donors helped the family, but also for our pets, the way Bryson helped Bruce.