A little boy kissed his favourite piggy bank before smashing it to pay for his ailing grandmother’s treatment. The next day he ran to his parents with a cheque for $140,000 and brought them to tears when they heard the touching revelation.
Clinks! Clinks! Little Ronnie laughed as he heard the clinking of coins in his piggy bank. He sighed, waiting for the day when he would have enough money in him to buy the Justice League toys he dreamed of.
“Mum, you said you’d give me a dollar if I put the rubbish in the bin outside,” he told his mother Linda. “I even cleaned the pots on the steps,” the five-year-old said as he held out his soiled hands for the money.
But Linda was upset and couldn’t wait for her husband to return in a taxi. “Ron, you know Grandma isn’t well, don’t you? Please don’t bother Mummy now,” she said.
Ronnie is disappointed and heads to his room with a piggy bank under his arm…
“Mum said Grandma would be home in a few days. But it’s been a week and she’s still not back,” he muttered.
“Here… I promise to fill you up with new coins soon.” Ronnie kissed his piggy bank and ran outside, seeing his mother in tears.
“…I’ll be there in ten minutes. I’ll get our son,” Linda said into the phone, looking around for Ronnie.
Before Ronnie could realise what was going on, he was taken to the hospital to his grandmother, Doris. He presses his nose against the glass and looks at his unconscious grandmother in the ICU.
“When are you coming home, Grandma?” – he sighs, not understanding why his grandmother had to spend so much time in hospital.
A week ago Doris suffered a cardiac arrest. After examining her, the doctors concluded that she needed urgent surgery.
Linda and her husband Jacob spent all their savings on Doris’ treatment. They did everything they could to raise the money, and even sold their old car to pay for her treatment. Unfortunately, they need a lot more money to pay for the operation and time is running out.
“Doctor, give us time,” cries Linda. “We’ll somehow find the money within a week.”
Ronnie has never seen his mother so depressed. He heard her pleading to the doctor and immediately remembered the savings in the piggy bank.
“I can’t see Mummy and Daddy sad. I’ll save Grandma’s life,” he thought. “I have money to pay for her treatment.”
Returning home that afternoon, Ronnie ran to his room, then slowed his pace, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Charlie,” he said to his piggy bank. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to break you now. I love you and I’ll miss you,” he said as he shattered the pottery and the coins spilled to the floor.
Ronnie gathered up the shards, wrapping them in a small cloth. “Granny, you’ll be home soon, I promise,” he said and hurried downstairs to throw away the broken shards.
In the evening the boy went with his parents to the hospital and heard his mother talking to the doctor again.
‘We’ll do everything we can, Mrs Cooper. But time is running out. Your mother’s condition cannot improve without surgery. Please do whatever you need to do to get the money quickly.”
Unable to contain himself any longer, Ronnie burst into the office, much to the surprise of his parents.
“Ron, honey? What are you doing here? I told you to sit by Grandma’s room,” Linda exclaimed.
Ronnie is silent and busily rummages through his rucksack. He pulls out a small pile of coins and walks towards the doctor, smiling confidently.
“Take it, Doctor. Take the money I saved on Justice League toys to cure Grandma. I heard Mum talking to you,” he said. “Is this enough for Grandma’s surgery?”
The doctor, amazed, took the handkerchief of coins from the boy’s hands. It made an even bigger impression when he unwrapped it and saw how many coins were there.
“Son, this money is enough! Your grandmother will be home soon, I promise!” – says the doctor, stroking Ronnie’s hair as Linda and Jacob stare in bewilderment. At first they think the doctor is joking, but the next day they are in for a big surprise.
“Mum! Dad!” – they hear Ronnie running towards them. “Look what I’ve got,” he says, holding out a signed cheque for $140,000.
“Oh my God! $140,000? Who gave you that?” – Linda shouted. She and Jacob looked at each other, thinking it was a prank. They soon became convinced of the true power of compassion when the doctor turned to them with the comforting news.
“As I said yesterday, little Ronnie, your grandmother will be home soon!” – reported the doctor. “Mr and Mrs Cooper, you don’t need to worry about the money. It’s taken care of!”
“Taken care of???” Linda cried out in shock. “But Doctor, who’s going to give us that much money? We didn’t ask anyone…”.
The doctor smiled and looked at Ronnie. ‘You must be proud of your son, Mrs Cooper. What he did yesterday touched my heart. So some of my colleagues and I have discussed the matter and contributed money for his treatment.
“…And Ronnie, this is for you. Come on, open it, son!” – The doctor insisted, handing the packed box to the little boy.
Ronnie quickly opened the box and was delighted to discover the Justice League toy collection he had dreamed of. It took Linda and Jacob some time to come back to reality as they had not expected this turn of events and the unexpected service the good doctor had rendered them.
“Thank you, Doctor. Words are not enough to thank you,” Linda exclaimed as she hugged her son.
“Well, your son pushed me to it! He proved to me that nothing is more important than family. I had planned to take a few days off to visit my elderly mother in the town. I must thank your son for helping me realise the true meaning of love and compassion!” – he said and hurried into the next room with his stethoscope.
