Fourth-Grader Rallies Her Entire School to Help a Friend Thousands of Miles Away

It's hard to find a friend as awesome as 10-year-old Lily Shaw. Two years ago, the fourth-grader struck up a friendship with Max Watson, a boy her age with special needs in Denver, and even though she moved across the country from him, she's raising money so that he can have a better life.

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Max was born with Cobalamin X, a genetic disorder that makes it difficult to process proteins and causes seizures. He's wheelchair bound and has difficulty getting around, so Lily has set out to raise as much money as possible to help Max and his family.

"He can't talk, but he understands more than people think he does," Lily tells the Good News Blog. "He needs lifts that help him go up the stairs. It helps him get up into his house, and he also needs a wheelchair ramp."

Altogether, Max's family needs about $100,000 worth of equipment. Lily decided she would bring it up as an idea for a fundraiser in her leadership roundtable at Ashford Park Elementary in Atlanta, where she now goes to school. While students typically raise money for cancer, this year, everyone voted to make the donation in Max's honor.

The kids created boxes that were placed around the school so that anyone could drop in spare change or larger donations. At the end, the heaviest box wins a pizza party for their class, and so far, the school has collected nearly $700.

Lily's fundraising doesn't stop there. She's also reached out to the Do It for Love Foundation, which helps kids with disabilities get tickets to concerts. Thanks to Lily's letter, Max will receive two tickets to an upcoming Michael Franti concert along with a meet & greet, and two tickets to see Jack Johnson perform.

Lily says she's doing this because she feels a connection with Max. The little girl has an eye condition that makes it nearly impossible for her to see in dim or dark settings, so she can relate to his struggles.

"When I figured out he had some eye problems just like me, I felt like I wasn't the only one that had really bad eyesight," Lily explains.

The two met in second grade when they were signing yearbooks and have been friends ever since. Lily says she keeps in touch with Max via Skype, and of course, by working to help make a difference in his life.

Clearly, the two share a bond that stretches way beyond words or walls.

"He's just really great," Lily remarks. "People think he doesn't understand much, but he actually does. It makes him really special."