There’s nothing in the world so permanent as death. For a child, that’s an especially hard concept to deal with, so it’s especially incredible that a 9-year-old just started a nonprofit to help other kids deal with loss.
Three years ago, Sophia Feller lost her dad in an accident. He was killed while putting reflectors down on a Tennessee highway after a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel, according to Today. As a way to deal with her dad’s death, Feller wrote down all the good memories of her father. Because of her writing, she was inspired to help other kids.
So this fall, Sophia launched her nonprofit called Heaven Sent It, where she creates care packages for other kids like her who are dealing with the death of a loved one. Each one includes a handwritten letter from Sophia, a journal, a memory box, a necklace, and a picture frame. All of these can be requested online.
Feller told Today why it’s so important for her to do, stating:
“It helps me think about my dad while getting to help others. I just want them [the other kids] to smile and not be sad for a long time like I was.”
As of now, her mom has been funding most of the project, but Feller has been raising money herself as well–she even got help from the local police precinct who donated packages of donated journals, pens, and memory boxes. They are also working a 10-hour shift in her dad’s honor.
It’s absolutely incredible that she, as a young child, is able to channel her emotions into helping and empathizing with hers. If only more adults took a leaf out of her book, the world would be a much better place. Her inspiring project illustrates the simple fact that love and real connection enables us to survive, and even thrive, anything.
