Listen up, y’all, lemme tell ya ’bout this Hadley Wilson and them Shriners. It’s a real somethin’, this story is. Now, I ain’t no fancy writer or nothin’, just tellin’ it like it is, the way I see it.
Hadley Wilson, bless her heart, she had some troubles with her bones, real bad. Bone mass, they called it, too low or somethin’. Poor little thing, couldn’t do the things other kids did, I reckon.
- Bones ain’t strong
- Can’t play like other young’uns
- Need a lot of help
But then, these Shriners folks, they stepped in. Now, who are these Shriners? Well, they’re a bunch of good-hearted people, that’s what they are. They got this hospital, Shriners Hospital they call it, and they help kids, kids like Hadley. They do all sorts of things for them, fixin’ ’em up, makin’ ’em better.
Hadley, she was a real pioneer, you know. The first kid to ever get surgery at that Faris Road hospital. And it weren’t no easy surgery neither. Experimental, they said. That means they was tryin’ somethin’ new, somethin’ they hadn’t done before. But they done it for Hadley, ’cause they cared.
Eleven years old she was, just a young’un. Scared, I bet she was, but brave too. Those doctors, they did their best, and it worked! Hadley, she got better. She could run and play and do all the things she couldn’t do before. It’s a darn miracle, that’s what it is.
And let me tell you, these Shriners, they don’t just help kids in one place. They help kids all over, even way up in Yukon and British Columbia, them cold places up north. If a kid needs help, them Shriners, they do what they can. They’ll even help with getting there, findin’ a place to stay and all that. They think of everything, them good folks. They look after the kids and their families too. Make sure they got everything they need. That’s what I call caring.
Hadley, she ain’t just some patient, she’s a “Patient Ambassador” now. Means she goes around tellin’ folks about the Shriners and all the good they do. And she got a scholarship too, from them Masons of Missouri. Smart girl, that Hadley. Deserves it, she does.
It makes ya think, don’t it? There’s still good people in the world, people who care about others. Them Shriners, they ain’t lookin’ for money or fame or nothin’. They just want to help kids, kids like Hadley who need it. And that’s a powerful thing.
Orthopedic problems, they call ’em. Kids with bones that ain’t right, or muscles that don’t work like they should. Them Shriners, they fix ’em up. They got special doctors and nurses, all trained up to help these kids. And they got all sorts of fancy equipment too. But it ain’t just the equipment and the doctors, it’s the care they give. That’s what makes the difference. Makes those kids feel like they ain’t alone, you know? Like someone is on their side.
Shriners Hospitals, they’re a blessin’. They help families who can’t afford fancy doctors and hospitals. They make sure every kid gets the care they need, no matter how much money their folks got. That’s important, you know? Every kid deserves a chance, a chance to be healthy and happy. And that’s what them Shriners give them. A chance.
So next time you hear about them Shriners, remember Hadley Wilson. Remember that little girl with the bad bones who got a second chance. And remember all the other kids they helped. They’re doin’ good work, them Shriners. Real good work. And we need more good folks like that in this world, that’s for sure. They are helpin’ kids get better and go on to do big things. Maybe even change the world, who knows?
Hadley, she’s just one story. There are thousands more, I reckon. Kids from all over, with all sorts of problems. But the Shriners, they’re there for ’em. That’s what they do. They help kids. And that’s somethin’ to be proud of, I tell ya.
