GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-One year ago, little 4 year old Dawson Babiak was undergoing treatment for Leukemia at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids.
"[It was] very hard to hear,you never think that you’d ever get such devastating news, you would always think this would never happen to my son," said Dawson's father, Jason who said it was toys that served as a nice distraction, allowing Dawson to get through the long days and nights of his treatment.
"I can remember the smile my son had when he got a gift and I'll cherish those moments," Babiak.
Jason says once Dawson returned to the family home in Hopkins, he'd often speak about wanting to donate toys to help other patients in the hospital.
Fulfilling his wishes, his parents who are both teachers started an "Epic Toy Drive" throughout the Hopkins School District. They held a contest and the result was $8,500 worth of toys being collected and delivered back to the hospital Wednesday morning.
Dawson, his father and several students from the Hopkins School District arrived at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital with a school bus packed with toys.
"It's a small town with a big big heart. So that small town and the schools, plus Dawson's supporters did an outstanding job and that's going to help a lot of kids at this hospital," Jason told Fox 17.
According to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Wednesday's toy delivery was the biggest one day delivery in the history of the hospital. Meanwhile, Dawson is still receiving treatment for his Leukemia on an out-patient basis, and his father Jason said he is doing well.