Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Friday, August 12, 2011

Remember Rachel Beckwith, the little girl who wanted to raise money to give others access to clean water?

She was the subject of a New York Times op-ed piece:

Rachel’s Last Fund-Raiser
When it was clear that Rachel would never regain consciousness, the family decided to remove life support. Her parents donated her hair a final time to Locks of Love, and her organs to other children. Word spread about Rachel’s last fund-raiser.

Contributions poured in, often in $9 increments, although one 5-year-old girl sent in the savings in her piggy bank of $2.27. The total donations soon topped $100,000, then $300,000. Like others, I was moved and donated. As I write this, more than $850,000 has been raised from all over the world, including donations from Africans awed by a little American girl who cared about their continent.

Rest in peace, Rachel. I hope somewhere you know how much you inspired people to care about the plight of their fellow humans.

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