Prayers For Kaizler/FacebookA young student accidentally sent a text to the wrong number. One viral message exchange later, and she’s helped raise $15,000 for a young boy with leukaemia.
Student Sydney Uselton thought she was seeking dress advice from a friend, Mandi Miller.
But Sydney got an unexpected reply after sending a photograph to Tennessee dad-of-six, Tony Wood.
bbymandi/TwitterIt’s nice to be nice, so Tony got his children to send a photograph back to Sydney, giving her outfit choice a big thumbs up.
He shared the picture verdict alongside this lovely message:
I believe this message was intended for someone else. My wife isn’t home, so I couldn’t get her opinion, but the kids and I think you look stunning in your dress! You should definitely got with that one.
But when the adorable response was shared to Twitter, some observant social media users noticed Tony’s four-year-old son, Kaizler, was missing from the photograph.
Tony Wood/FacebookThat’s because Kaizler was in hospital in his hometown of Spring Hill undergoing chemotherapy to treat leukaemia he’s been battling for over two years.
Kaizler was diagnosed with Pre-B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in late 2015, and his family have shared his journey online to raise awareness and funds to help with medical bills.
Since the Wood family’s story went viral, they’ve been inundated with support from well-wishers and donors worldwide.
Prayers for Kaizler/FacebookWriting on the GoFundMe page, Silverio Rosas, a family friend, said:
Kaizler is a handsome four-year-old boy with ringlets bouncing in every direction! He is the second youngest of six brothers and sisters. He loves playing with cars and monster trucks.
He is a huge fan of Mickey Mouse and loves riding extra fast on quads. He has a smile that lights up the room and is one of the most loving children you will ever meet.
While he can be pretty bashful when you first meet him, he quickly turns into a chatterbox!
Prayers for Kaizler/FacebookHe concluded, saying:
The most important thing about Kaizler is that he holds a special place in the hearts of so many.
Especially in the hearts of his family. It’s impossible to meet him without falling in love with this awesome little man! Please keep him in your prayers as we go through these trying times!
Prayers for Kaizler/FacebookSharing the incredible story to Facebook, Tony wrote:
So…this happened. I got a message from some random number the other day with a couple pictures of a young lady in a dress.
I decided: “Let’s make this person’s day.”
So I had the kids thumbs up her and told her she looked stunning in her dress. Now, all of the sudden, my kids are Twitter famous! Pretty cool!
So…this happened. I got a message from some random number the other day with a couple pictures of a young lady in a…
Posted by Tony Wood on Thursday, 8 March 2018
At the time of writing, $33,132 of the Woods family’s $10,000 goal has been raised by 1,204 people in 26 months – with over 600 donations being made since Sydney Uselton sent a photograph of her dress to the wrong number.
As one pensive online commentator aptly decreed, this story is proof that a little act of kindness can reap bigger acts of kindness, and change your life for the better.
If you want to donate to the Woods family, you can do it here.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.