SAGINAW COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A small Michigan community has been rallying to support 6-year-old Avery who is battling brain cancer, but their goodwill was callously taken. Donations of bottles and cans meant to ease the burden of medical expenses were stolen in a heartless act, leaving family members and supporters stunned.
The fundraiser, spearheaded by friends and neighbors through the non-profit group “Swan Valley Pay It Forward” which does year-round charitable work aimed to collect thousands of returnable bottles and cans, with every dime going toward the child’s treatment.
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The collection had been ongoing for weeks in an area designated as a can and bottle drop-off area for the group and was a symbol of hope for a family fighting unimaginable hardship. Then, in a single devastating moment, sometime between 5 am and 6 am on Monday morning, it was gone.
Organizer Tracy Williams said to WNEM, “It’s terrible, especially at the holidays.”
The family’s struggle.
The child, who has been courageously undergoing treatment for cancer, already faces a mountain of challenges. Every bottle and can donated was a piece of the community’s heart, contributing to mounting medical bills and everyday expenses. For the family, this fundraiser meant more than money – it was a lifeline of support and love from their community during their darkest days. The theft, which occurred at the home of Williams, has compounded their struggle.
Williams said, “Perhaps they didn’t know the reason those cans were out there, but they (thieves) know they weren’t theirs. And if they ever needed help, just reach out to us. That’s what we do, we help people. But once you steal, that’s just not the way to go about things.”
Williams estimates that the stolen cans and bottles could have brought the Hilden family’s total earnings to around $3,000.
A plea for justice.
Local authorities with the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the theft and urging anyone with information to come forward. While leads are scarce, residents hope for an outcome that brings both accountability and restoration. There is a $500 reward offered for information that leads to an arrest for this theft.
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For those interested in donating too the family, you can go to the GoFundMe site here.
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