Teen Delivers Toys To Children's Hospital In Memory Of Brother Killed In Hit-And-Run
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Vanessa Galang was too young to volunteer at UC Davis Children's Hospital, but she was determined to give back and honor her brother.
CBS13 brought you the story of her efforts to raise $3,000 to buy toys for children at the hospital where her brother died on Christmas Eve following a hit-and-run.
Many of the children at the hospital weren't able to go home for Christmas, but the 14-year-old wanted to give them something to smile about. And for the first time since her brother died, she's smiling again, too.
She's delivering everything from games to pacifiers to iPads in the same intensive care unit where Moses succombed to his injuries.
"When I was here last time and my brother was still here, I saw everyone was sad, and I wanted to bring them something to make them happy," she said.
Galang hasn't come to terms with losing her brother, but without even knowing it, her mom Jessica says she's using kindness to cope.
"Nothing is quite as happy as it was before, but first time the whole year I've seen her laugh and seen that spark in her," she said.
Galang raised more than $3,000 in a month on a fundraising website, but the best part of the experience for her was bringing joy to others.
"I think he would have wanted to help, and he'd be here like right next to me doing these," she said.
Galang plans on making the toy drive part of her holiday routine every year from now on.
