The Gaming Den

And along those lines, here is another celebrity tear jerker for you:

This story is a reminder of the difference that a simple act of kindness can make.

Caroll Spinney is the voice of Big Bird from Sesame Street.
And the other day he was giving an AMA (Ask Me Anything) interview on Reddit.

During the interview he was asked:
“What has been your most meaningful interaction with a child?”

This was his answer:

“This is a very sad story, but it's real.

I got a letter from a fan.
He said his little 5 year-old boy named Joey was dying of cancer.
And he was so ill that he knew he was dying.

So the man asked if I would call his little boy.
He said the only thing that cheered him up was to see Big Bird on television.

(But) once in a while, he wouldn't see Big Bird, because (Big Bird) wasn't necessarily in every show.
So he asked could I telephone him, and tell him what a good boy he's been.

(Spinney said yes and called him)

And I had Big Bird say:
"Hello! Hello Joey! It's me, Big Bird!"

So he said:
"Is it really you, Big Bird?"

"Yes, it is."

I chatted with him for about ten minutes, and he said:
"I'm glad you're my friend Big Bird."

And I said:
"I'd better let you go now."

He said:
“Thank you for calling me Big Bird.
You're my friend.
You make me happy."

It turns out that his father and mother were sitting with him when the phone call came.
He was very, very ill that day.
And (the hospital) called the parents in, because they weren't sure how long he'd last.

Afterword his father wrote to me and said:
"Thank you, thank you."

He hadn't seen his son smile since October, and this was in March.
He said when they hung up the phone, his son said:
"Big Bird called me!
He's my friend."

And then he closed his eyes.
And he passed away.

And I could see that what I say to children can be very important.

His father said:
"We haven't seen our little boy smile in MONTHS.
He smiled, as he passed away.
It was a gift to us.
Thank you."

As I said at the top, this story just reminds me that kindness matters.
Kindness makes a difference.
Kindness never gets old.

Even though that little boy died.
He died with a smile on his face.

And I’m sure that’s something his parents will never forget.