DO GOODER
10-Yr-Old Spends 100 Days Sleeping In Tent To Honor His Late Neighbor.
It's been months since Max Woosey of Braunton, England, slept in his bed.
These days, the 10-year-old is spending his nights in his backyard tent. In fact, he's been camping out for about 15 weeks now! But Max isn't trying to break a record. He's on a mission to help the people who took care of his dear friend.
His neighbor Rick gave Max the tent just before he passed away from cancer in February. He also included a powerful request.
"He said, 'Max, you've got to promise me that you've got to have lots of adventures and lots of great memories in it,'" Max explained.
We're sure his current mission would make Rick proud! Max started a charity campout in late March, just a few days after the COVID-19 lockdown began in the U.K., and declared he would stay there until quarantine was over.
His goal? To raise £10,000 (a little over $12,500) for North Devon Hospice, whose team took care of both Rick and his wife Sue, who died of cancer a few years ago. Max was initially aiming for about $125, but the fundraiser went viral and sparked hundreds of JustGiving donations!In the weeks since then, Max has proven how serious he is about the challenge. He only comes inside to shower, eat dinner, and do his homeschooling lessons. When the lockdown got longer, so did his stay.
"Of course, it's been extended again and again, but he's never shown any sign of wanting to give in, despite the wind and the rain! We're just so incredibly proud of him," his mom Rachael said. "His resilience is really impressive."
On July 6, the hospice recognized Max for 100 nights of camping with a cake modeled after his tent. By now, he's met his fundraising goal, but he's still not ready to move inside!"Everyone at the hospice is blown away by what this inspiring 10-year-old is doing," said Stephen Roberts, the chief executive of North Devon Hospice. "For such a young lad to care so much about helping others is heartwarming."