When Noah Ramsey turned 10 in August, he celebrated with a pizza party. When the weather turned cold this fall, he had new clothes to keep him warm.
All because of the kindness of strangers. As Americans gather around their tables to give thanks today, this Marietta child’s family is grateful to caring people they may never meet, but who have changed their lives forever.
This summer, Noah’s mom, Katherine, was determined to throw him a birthday party, as it was the first time he’d ever asked for one. Epilepsy and other health issues make it impossible for her to work. The family gets by on her husband’s income, but a steady stream of medical bills means there isn’t much wiggle room in the budget.
“What I can do physically and legally is bake,” Ramsey announced in an online post on a Marietta neighborhood Facebook page in August. “I’ll be having a huge bake sale so my boy can have his party.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote about her endeavor, and orders poured in. Unfortunately, the stress of juggling so many cookies and muffins took its toll and Ramsey had to take a break.
“When Mommy tries to work too hard, I have to make her slow down,” said Noah, who is home-schooled and has run through practice drills so he’ll know what to do if he ever has to call for medical help. “Sometimes if she’s in pain I help her. If she has to get in bed, I put the cover over her. She tells me to check on her to make sure she doesn’t have seizures.”
Although Ramsey’s condition forced her to curtail her bake sale, a number of donors offered contributions, and Noah was able to have a party with his friends at the Chuck E. Cheese on Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw. There was enough left over for winter clothes with a little extra set aside for a Christmas present. (He’d like a camera.)
Folks who helped make Noah’s party possible said it was a joy to participate.
“I was so impressed with the way Katherine was willing to work so hard just to see him enjoy his birthday,” said Cobb County resident Barbara Haddad. “With all the unhappy news lately, it’s so nice to read something positive.”
“There is nothing worse than being a parent and have your child wish for something that you just cannot give them,” said Nancy Cohen of Sandy Springs. “We were so glad to see Noah’s wish for a party come true. I know it made his mom so proud to give this to him and it gave us a great feeling to be able to contribute to their happiness.”
Many other donors wanted to remain anonymous.
“Please let (Ramsey) know there are folks out there who admire her for fighting through her infirmities,” said one area resident who sent a donation.
“She can use the money she earns for presents or whatever else she feels like,” said another.
Ramsey wants everyone to know she has not spent a penny on herself.
“A few weeks ago, it was three days before payday and we had $8,” she said. Her husband took $4 and put enough gas in the car to get to work and back.
“We refused to touch (Noah’s) money,” she said.
At first, it felt odd and overwhelming to accept strangers’ charity.
“I cried a lot,” Ramsey said. Finally, she decided to “pay it forward” however she could.
“Even if it’s not money, doing little things like saying ‘thank you’ or ‘please,’ ” she said. “Just being a little bit nicer. I see it as my responsibility. We all can do little things that impact how others feel.”
As she talked, Ramsey became emotional and started to shake. Noah took his mom’s hand in his own and rubbed it softly against his cheek until the trembling abated.
“He’s my angel,” she said. “No matter what we go through, I know it could be worse. We’ll get through it. We’ll survive. There are so many people in this world who have less.”
After this summer’s surprise bounty, Ramsey made sure Noah wrote thank-you notes to people whose contact information she had.
“Mommy and Daddy can’t do this for you,” she told her son. “There are so many people out there who want you to have something nice.”
Noah said he understands his 10th birthday was a special one.
“It made me feel happy and glad,” he said.
Ramsey said the family has simple plans for Thanksgiving. They’ll share a meal with friends, and her husband, Marshall Ramsey, plans to volunteer with Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless in keeping with the “pay it forward” concept. Similarly, Katherine Ramsey plans to do what she can to help others, even if it’s just making sandwiches for homeless people she sees walking the streets or sharing a friendly word.
“Even if I don’t have money to give, I can still offer my ear,” she said. “I can give a smile. My life has changed due to kindness, and I want others to feel that there are those who care. Because of all this, every day of the rest of my life will be different.”
About the Author
