There is nothing more touching than a child making a heartwarming sacrifice for his parents. But the sacrifice 10-year-old Ryder made to support his mother Annie, who was battling cancer, broke her heart.
One night, Ryder saw his mother crying and learned that she could no longer afford her last chemotherapy treatment. He decided to break open his petty cash and give her all his savings…
Although this touched Annie’s heart, she told him it wasn’t enough. Ryder was very disappointed and ran into the bathroom to cry alone.
He looked at himself in the mirror. It hurt terribly to see his mother, who once had long hair, had gone bald after undergoing chemotherapy. To support her emotionally, the little boy shaved his head with an electric razor.
«Oh my God, Ryder!» Annie cried when she saw what her son had done. She was moved by his sacrifice.
«Mom, I’m with you in this. You’re not alone,» Ryder cried, knowing full well that his best friends would laugh at him the next day.
«Hey, look, someone in our class lost all their hair!» said Ryder’s friends, making fun of him.
A fair had been held on the school playground, and many people, including parents of students, attended.
«I have to go,» Ryder said, shyly covering his head in a hoodie. He carried two bags containing some of his favorite toys, books and recycled crafts that he planned to sell at the fair.
Ryder was very worried. It hurt to have his best friends make fun of him without knowing why he had sacrificed his hair.
As time went on, things sold out quickly at all the other booths except Ryder’s. He didn’t have time to properly arrange his wares or come up with a banner to attract customers.
But he was determined to sell to support his mother. So he took a pen and a large sheet of paper and created a sign that read:
‘Help my mom fight cancer.
«Jesus, please help me. I shaved my head to support my mom. But they all laugh at me without knowing my reasons. I have to sell these things and help her with some money. Please don’t let me down,» he prayed.
The fair was about to end, and Ryder had managed to sell most of his items. He was about to leave when his three friends surrounded him.
«Not now, guys. I’m on my way home. Stop this,» he said with a frown.
They blocked Ryder’s path. He thought they had come to mock him once again, but to his surprise, they took off their hats, and their heads were shaved.
«WHAT? Why did you shave your heads?», Ryder asked, startled. «What’s going on?»
It turns out that the boys had read Ryder’s sign about his mother’s illness, and they were moved. They felt guilty for making fun of him without knowing that he had shaved his head in support of his mother who was battling cancer.
They shaved their heads to support Ryder’s cause.
«You did this for me? I can’t believe my eyes,» Ryder cried. After an emotional group hug, the boys gave Ryder the money they had earned at the school fair.
He was surprised. «Are you guys serious?» he cried. «Thank you so much. I’ll never forget your gesture.»
«Ryder, take this too, please,» he heard someone say the words in the crowd.
When he turned around, he saw a group of parents approaching him. They had raised a nice amount of money, and Ryder got about $11,000 in no time. He was very moved and thanked everyone for the heartwarming gesture.
«Don’t thank us, Ryder. It’s our turn to thank you for helping us realize our mistake. A person should not be judged by their appearance. We’re sorry we made fun of you…sorry, buddy! Thank you for helping us understand that even a small act of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s life.»
As a result of this incredible miracle, Annie’s treatment was fully taken care of. She recovered soon after and invited Ryder’s friends and their families over for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.
Annie was proud of her son and felt blessed to have raised such a wonderful boy.
