8-year-old boy tries to sell Pokémon cards to help his sick dog — his kindness sparks donations 30 times the cost of treatment
It’s beautiful to see the world come together for a noble cause. One family in Virginia witnessed it firsthand after their dog was diagnosed with a life-threatening contagious virus. Bryson Kliemann, an 8-year-old boy from Lebanon, would give anything to save his best friend and pet dog, Bruce, to give him a second chance at life. However, the veterinary treatment was expensive and beyond the family’s means, which urged the boy to devise a master plan of selling his most prized possession–his collection of Pokémon cards, as reported by USA Today.
Bryson's unconditional love for his furry friend traveled far and wide and launched a nationwide effort to ensure Bruce received the necessary treatments to recover. In early 2021, Bruce, a Black Lab mix, fell sick and lost weight. He refused to leave his cage despite his playful nature. His strange behavior prompted a trip to the vet, where Bruce was diagnosed with Parvo, which could take his life if left untreated. Bryson’s mother, Kimberly Woodruff, 26, was informed that it would cost $655 for the initial treatment, while thousands of dollars more would add to the bill by the end. The family could not afford it.
Woodruff claimed that she had attempted to vaccinate Bruce with self-administered injections, even for Parvo, to save money. However, she had not refrigerated them, which negated the effectiveness of the vaccinations. The little boy had always wanted a puppy and adopted Bruce when a friend's dog gave birth to babies. Bryson would give anything to save his dear pet. When his mom conveyed the situation the next day, Bryson was affected, but he hadn’t given up yet. The 8-year-old decided to take matters into his own hands and set up a stall in his neighborhood. Amidst her phlebotomy class, Woodruff received a message from her husband with a picture of her son seated at a table in his front yard with a plaque that read, “Pokemon 4 SALE.” He hoped neighbors would notice and buy his cards to help Bruce.
Turns out, Bryson had run the idea by his mom, but she had disagreed. “We'll figure this out. Don't worry about it,” she had said at the time. The child had been collecting Pokémon cards since he was 4, with hundreds of cards, rare and common, in his treasured collection. Every celebration throughout the year, be it Christmas or birthdays, Bryson only asked for cards. “His Pokémon cards are his most prized possession,” Woodruff said. So, when she witnessed her son selling his most prized possession, the mom was both touched and hurt by Bryson’s efforts. Nevertheless, their local community came together, and the heartwarming message spread across the state by mere word of mouth.
Woodruff even shared a picture of Bryson and his stall on a local Facebook group to encourage more people to contribute. Eventually, her friends from Michigan asked her to set up a GoFundMe to support her child as they could not attend his stall in person. She did. The page “Just a boy trying to save his dog” was set up dedicated to Bryson and his cause. The outpouring of support overwhelmed the boy and the family. "It makes me feel happy that everybody came together," the mom told the outlet.
The cards were sold for $5 to $10, while others donated their personal card collections, dog supplies, and money. An employee at the Pokémon Company in Seattle reached out and sent packs of rare Pokémon cards. At present, the GoFundMe page has raised $28,555 against its $800 goal through 997 donations from kind strangers across the world. Thankfully, Bruce was able to receive the medical care, while Woodruff donated the leftover funds to other families in need for their pets' treatment. WSLS 10 covered Bryson's story on YouTube.