A Child's Huge Heart for Others Impacts Community
Get out your handkerchief for this one.
(Chapin, South Carolina)—Reporter Lee Higgins says that when Justin Pepper turned 7, he told his mother he wanted to give the toys from his birthday party to children less fortunate than he. As a result, his mother, Kari Crawford, took him to visit the nearby Thornwell Home for Children, where the children of parents who are addicted to drugs, or have untreated mental illnesses, etc., are cared for. (Photo: TheState.com)
"He really felt bad for them and realized he had both his parents, and he had lots of things and they didn't have anything," Crawford said of her only child. "Every year, he reminded me, ‘Mom, we need to do that again.'"
According to a report in The State, every year for the next four years, Justin donated his birthday gifts to the children at Thornwell. But, on August 14, 2007, Justin died in a car accident. Though he was only 11-years-old, he already had a huge reputation in his community for his volunteerism and willingness to help others.
To make sure their son's legacy of generosity lives on, the report states that Kari and Justin's father, James Thomas Pepper, with the help and support of their church, Lake Murray Presbyterian in Chapin, are organizing a toy drive this Christmas in his honor.
"You're never too young to help somebody," his mother said, "and that's what I want to instill in other kids and other people."
