Courtesy of the Klakulak familyA 12-year-old boy is raising money for a very special Christmas gift, a gravestone for his best friend who died of cancer.
Kaleb Klakulak is working odd jobs, including raking leaves and collecting bottles in the hopes of earning enough money to buy his friend, Kenneth ‘K.J.’ Gross, a gravestone.
According to local news reports Kenneth died of congestive heart-failure following years of chemotherapy to fight leukaemia but his mother, LaSondra ‘San’ Singleton, couldn’t afford a grave marker.
Courtesy of the Klakulak familyKaleb told The Detroit News:
I love Ms. San, I was sad she couldn’t afford it. I wanted people to be able to find (K.J.’s grave) when they went to see him.
Kaleb had hoped to have raised $2,500 so he could buy the headstone before Christmas but the media attention his campaign garnered means he’s already smashed his goal.
Thanks to a number of generous people making PayPal donations Kaleb’s managed to earn over $2,500 dollars for Kenneth’s gravestone.
Kirsty Hall, Kaleb’s mum, manages the PayPal account that her son’s been using to accept donations and she updated it today to tell everyone the great news.
As I come up on 7 months since I lost my Angel I now except with the help of some beautiful people helping me find my…
Posted by LaSondra Lorraine Singleton on Wednesday, 28 November 2018
She wrote:
WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL from the very bottom OF OUR HEARTS!!!
The funds have been provided for KJ’s headstone! We thank each and every person who donated and shared this story. We never dreamt it would take off like it did!
The PayPal will be open for a couple of weeks. If you still wish to donate the money will be used to help Kj’s family during this financial and emotional hardship! If not .. that’s totally fine too.
We are beyond humbled by the gengenerosity (sic) and love over the last few days! Whatever you decide … please keep them in your prayers as they are approaching their first Christmas with out (sic) KJ.
Kenneth diagnosed with leukaemia as an infant but through it all, he’s had his friend Kaleb by his side, often literally and the pair would watch TV and play video games in the hospital when Kenneth was poorly.
Courtesy of the Klakulak familyEarlier this year when Kenneth was hospitalised for what would be the last time, Singleton was forced to quit her job so she could look after her son full time.
She eventually returned to work but with five children, one of whom was seriously ill, and a mother who’d been diagnosed with Alzheimers, she admitted that money was tight.
Singleton admitted to The Detroit News that she’s overwhelmed by the gesture saying it speaks volumes to the type of people that Kaleb and his mother are, before adding that it speaks to the type of person her son was because he ‘impacted people’ to the point where they want to do this for him.
To donate to K.J.’s headstone fund click here.
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More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.