I think someone posted about this story a couple of weeks ago. She was the little girl in North Carolina that wanted the wishes of other sick children granted as her wish. They have achieved their goal.
Celebration of Hope tops her dream
Gifts pour in to grant 12-year-old's dying desire
MELISSA MANWARE
Staff Writer
LEE MCLEOD, Special to The Observer
When the Make-A-Wish Foundation visited Hope Stout, she lay on her bed, cuddling her cat Pudge. "If you had your wish," a foundation member asked, "what would it be?"
Hope Stout's wish has been granted.
Friday night, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Western North Carolina surpassed its goal of raising a million dollars.
The money will be used to grant the wishes of 155 local children with life-threatening illnesses. That was Hope's dying wish.
She didn't live to see it happen. But the 12-year-old knew it would.
The final dollars were raised during a $250-per-person "Celebration of Hope" fund-raiser at the Westin Charlotte Friday night.
"Hope is right here, and she is happy," Bruce Mullen, who helped organize Friday's event, said during the formal party. "She is happy because 155 kids just had their wishes come true and thousands of others will."
The $1,116,839 counted so far came from everywhere.
Elementary students walked laps around their gym to raise money. Someone donated $15,000 for four Panthers playoff tickets auctioned by team owner Jerry Richardson. Two girls raised more than $1,000 selling hot chocolate in their neighborhood. An anonymous donor wrote a $100,000 check.
Mullen said Hope's story has gone nationwide, and he expects her inspiration to have lasting effects for Make-A-Wish foundations everywhere.
The Observer first ran Hope's story Dec. 19, after she told the foundation her wish was to have the wishes of all the other children on the list granted.
Hope died of a rare form of bone cancer Jan. 4. At that point, almost $500,000 had been raised.
She had planned to be at Friday's "Celebration of Hope" to thank all the people who were helping make her wish come true.
Mullen said her presence could be felt there Friday night.
"Hopester is dancing on the stage," he said. "She is smiling, having a big time."
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TO DONATE TO MAKE-A-WISH
Send checks to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Western North Carolina, 121 W. Trade St., Suite 1600, Charlotte, NC 28202. Indicate the money is for "Celebration of Hope."
Celebration of Hope tops her dream
Gifts pour in to grant 12-year-old's dying desire
MELISSA MANWARE
Staff Writer
LEE MCLEOD, Special to The Observer
When the Make-A-Wish Foundation visited Hope Stout, she lay on her bed, cuddling her cat Pudge. "If you had your wish," a foundation member asked, "what would it be?"
Hope Stout's wish has been granted.
Friday night, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Western North Carolina surpassed its goal of raising a million dollars.
The money will be used to grant the wishes of 155 local children with life-threatening illnesses. That was Hope's dying wish.
She didn't live to see it happen. But the 12-year-old knew it would.
The final dollars were raised during a $250-per-person "Celebration of Hope" fund-raiser at the Westin Charlotte Friday night.
"Hope is right here, and she is happy," Bruce Mullen, who helped organize Friday's event, said during the formal party. "She is happy because 155 kids just had their wishes come true and thousands of others will."
The $1,116,839 counted so far came from everywhere.
Elementary students walked laps around their gym to raise money. Someone donated $15,000 for four Panthers playoff tickets auctioned by team owner Jerry Richardson. Two girls raised more than $1,000 selling hot chocolate in their neighborhood. An anonymous donor wrote a $100,000 check.
Mullen said Hope's story has gone nationwide, and he expects her inspiration to have lasting effects for Make-A-Wish foundations everywhere.
The Observer first ran Hope's story Dec. 19, after she told the foundation her wish was to have the wishes of all the other children on the list granted.
Hope died of a rare form of bone cancer Jan. 4. At that point, almost $500,000 had been raised.
She had planned to be at Friday's "Celebration of Hope" to thank all the people who were helping make her wish come true.
Mullen said her presence could be felt there Friday night.
"Hopester is dancing on the stage," he said. "She is smiling, having a big time."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO DONATE TO MAKE-A-WISH
Send checks to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Western North Carolina, 121 W. Trade St., Suite 1600, Charlotte, NC 28202. Indicate the money is for "Celebration of Hope."
