8-year-old boy auctions off his pet to raise $19,500 for his best friend with brain tumor

Jesse had raised the hog for a year at his family farm.

PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

(L) Two years old boy cuddling little piglet, (R) A young girl who is in a wheelchair. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L)mmpile, (R) SolStock)

An 8-year-old boy’s compassion for his best friend battling cancer has touched a whole community in Missouri. Jesse James Starr resides in Sullivan with his family and enjoys living a countryside lifestyle. But the best part about his life there is her best friend. Claire Calvin, 7, whom he has known since preschool. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with a type of brain tumor found in children aged between 5 to 10 years. While Claire has the support of her family, her best friend Jess wanted to help anyway he could. So, he sold his pet hog at a livestock auction to raise $19,500 for Claire’s medical expenses, per the Epoch Times.

A young boy bending down to look at a pig in a city farm. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Christopher Hope-Fitch)

Jesse had raised the hog for a year at his family farm. His parents, Shauna and Joshua Starr, supported his cause and helped him with the auction. “Jesse came up with the idea on his own. They are truly the definition of best friends,” said the boy’s mom, Shauna. When they explained how auctions worked, Jesse was determined to donate all of the proceeds to Claire. The auction day arrived, and the young boy was excited for his pet hog to find a new home. The first buyer, Kathy Ruwwe, was moved by Jesse’s cause and bought the hog for $16,000, but she donated it back to be auctioned again. Another group of generous visitors pledged $3,000, while Jesse was gifted a check of $500 from David and Amy Danz.

Doctor high-fiving girl in wheelchair.(Representative Image Source: Getty Images | FS Productions)

“We knew that our community would step up, but we had no idea that it would bring such a great amount for [Claire’s] medical expenses,” Shauna recounted. The Starrs had informed the crowd about their son’s goal, and thus began the bidding process. Jesse was overwhelmed with the success of his goal and hoped the money would get Claire all her medicine to make her “all better, forever and ever.” Claire’s mom, Rachael Record, 39, was filled with gratitude for Jesse and the community. She told Fox News, “Jesse is such an amazing and thoughtful kid. Honestly, it didn’t surprise me that he came up with this generous idea, but we were so grateful.”

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Claire was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, in May 2020 at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. This tumor affects a child’s breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, walking, sitting, and talking, among others, per St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Therefore, Claire had been supported by a wheelchair since her diagnosis. However, Jesse’s efforts to be there for his best friend began as soon as her diagnosis. He would meet her at the parking lot before class and bring her breakfast. More so, the sweet boy even stopped playing outside during recess because Claire would have to sit inside the class in her wheelchair.

Boy and girl sitting on dock front of sea. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Image by Time Stops Photography)

The disease “made [Claire] have to be in a wheelchair and not be able to run around with me at recess. It also made me not want to let her fight alone,” Jesse explained. His mom, who works as a nurse, is proud of her son’s generosity and credits it to their practice of giving traditions at home.