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BOTHELL, Wash. -- The truckfuls of food donated in Brenden Foster's honor are now in the hands of the hungry.
The beloved boy lived long enough to see his final wish to help the homeless come true. After he died, his mother was able to see what he had accomplished.
Wendy Foster hadn't left home since her son died in her arms last Friday. But this week, she and her family went to Food Lifeline to see what a difference he made just one day before he passed.
Wendy saw boxes stacked to the ceiling marked with her boy's name to be shipped to shelters and food banks.
"This is amazing," Wendy said. "This is the biggest gift. I couldn't ask for a better gift."
And what Wendy saw was only a small part of what was left. A food drive in Brenden's honor collected enough food to fill seven semi-trucks as well as $95, 000 in cash donations. And this week, Wendy herself delivered a huge check to Food Lifeline.
"I am very pleased to hand this over to you -- $43, 300," she said.
"Oh, my gosh," said Camilla Bishop of Food Lifeline as she accepted the donation.
Wendy herself has needed help feeding her family. Caring for Brenden became her full-time job and wiped out the family's finances.
"We've been very close to being on the streets ourselves," she said.
While the donations impressed Brenden's little brother, it was the food in the freezer section that blew him away.
"It was like ice cream land. There was so much ice cream it wasn't even funny!" said Mitchel Foster.
Wendy also finally got to meet Northwest Harvest's Shelley Rotondo, who had so much she wanted to say to Wendy.
"I'm so sorry. Your son made a big, big, big difference," she said.
Wendy handed Rotondo a check, too --the remaining half of the donations.
"I can tell you this will be hundreds of thousands of meals this will translate into," Rotondo said as she tearfully accepted the check.
Just 67 cents can feed a family. But the sum of Brenden's wish is about more than money; it's the message.
"He was an amazing young man and he knew how times were," said Rotondo.
"And we were always on the border of being there ourselves," Wendy said.
Wendy wasn't able to grieve until Brenden was gone. She kept a brave face for her son, promising not to give leukemia any more tears. But when she saw all the donated food in person, she could no longer hold them back.
"Makes me miss him, but also amazing to see what he accomplished," she said.
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All memorial services for Brenden Foster will be closed to the public. However, those who wish to send flowers can do so to Evergreen Washelli at 11111 Aurora Avenue North Seattle, WA 98133 on Dec. 6, the day of his funeral. Red roses are said to have been his favorite.
Donations can be made to the Brenden Foster Cancer Fund at any branch of Washington Mutual Bank.
The Dream Within
Written in memory of
Brenden Stephen Foster
A child who was about to enter the Realms of Heaven asked: "Why at such a young age' I could have done more." Suddenly a young angel appeared and spoke...
It is not our years but it is our dreams That gives to others, lends help, and feeds Because it is not our age, but the youth inside That makes the change and turns the tide
For no one knows how much time they have But to those who give with loving hands Leave deeds that reach beyond their lives You see, It's not one's age, but the dream inside
And Brenden,
At times your dreams you cannot fulfill
But the love you gave will inspires others will For your dream may be just a seed Yet from your hope, others will fulfill the need
For it's the dreams we have and the deeds we do That flowers the humanity between me and you You said: "follow your dreams" beyond your years Yes, That's how the spirit goes on beyond life's tears
So it is not our time but the love we gave That is how our world is saved For you leave a legacy behind That says:
It's not the years but our hope inside
Hand by hand and side by side
It's not the years we're given, but the dream inside
In Lasting Memory,
Eric S. Kingston & Family
Dying boy inspires goodwill in people near and far
YouNewsâ„¢
Story Published: Nov 10, 2008 at 7:15 PM PST
Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 8:49 PM PST
By KOMO Staff
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BOTHELL, Wash. -- An 11-year-old boy's dying wish to feed the homeless has taken on a life of its own, sparking a movement to help the hungry nationwide.
Doctors gave Brenden Foster two weeks to live. His time was up last Wednesday.
"I should be gone in a week or so," he said last Friday.
On Monday, groggy and medicated, Brenden was having a rough day.
"Tired," he said, visibly weak.
"You need some more medicine," said his mother, Wendy Foster, stroking his head.
Leukemia halted the young life of Brenden, who once dreamed of becoming a marine photographer. Brenden has relapsed for the last time. There is no chemo, no more transfusions; just comfort medications.
"I'm hoping I'm awake when he decides to pass because I want to make sure I'm holding him," Wendy later said.
Brenden survived his leukemia long enough to witness his dying wish come true. Last Friday Brenden shared his last wish to feed the homeless.
"I was coming back from one of my clinic appoints and I saw this big thing of homeless people, and then I thought I should just get them something," he said.
Volunteers handed out 200 homemade sandwiches to the homeless to fulfill his wish.
"They're probably starving, so give them a chance," he said.
On Monday, Brenden could barely keep his eyes open as he watched a video of volunteers feeding Seattle's homeless on his behalf.
Over the weekend, his wish went national on CNN. And KOMO News received phone calls from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Clearly in pain, Brenden still managed to smile as he listened to stories about the phone calls and e-mails his story had inspired. His story touched many people from all walks of life, from families fighting cancer to men in the military.
"I think it's great, all over the country..." Brenden said.
"He made my dream come true. In my lifetime, I wanted to change the world and my son did that," said Wendy. "The world is such a beautiful place and that became evident the last 72 hours, and Brenden did that."
Brenden has one more wish for the afterlife: become an angel who accomplishes even more in heaven than he did on Earth.
"I don't need to worry about it until the time has come. So I don't bother think about it while I'm still alive; now," he said.
How to help
In Brenden's honor, KOMO News will be holding a food drive for Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline. You can drop off food on Thursday, November 20th at Fred Meyer stores in Issaquah, Federal Way or Brenden's hometown of Bothell.
If you can't make it in person, you can donate online by going to the Problem Solvers donation page and select "Brenden Foster Food Drive" from the donation options list.
The family is struggling to cover the costs of Brenden's funeral. Donations to the "Brenden Foster Cancer Fund" can be made at any Washington Mutual bank branch.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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