Hunter Meredith didn't want to spend the anniversary of the motocross accident that nearly killed him feeling sorry for himself.
So he decided the best way to celebrate life was to help others.
Recently Hunter, 12, and his family used a day to do more than 16 random acts of kindness. Hunter, his younger sister Camdyn, his parents and paternal grandmother all set out early one March morning to spread their goodwill.
"Spiritually, they're pretty amazing kids," said their mother, Chrissy, a speech therapist at the Marcus Autism Center.
Using money donated from his maternal grandmother, who lives in Florida, and her boss, the Merediths bought things like gift cards, bagels, pizza and scratch-off lottery tickets.
They packed up a huge rolling suitcase filled with clothes and gave it to a homeless man. They gave a T-shirt from Hunter's charity and a personal note to the doctors who helped Hunter through his recovery. They gave a gift card to a toll operator. They visited a nursing home and they gave $20 to a waitress who was having a rough day. She pledged to pay if forward.
They brought a dozen bagels to a fire station. "The amazing part is that when we got there everyone was gone, so we just went in," said his mom. "It was smoky in the station and it smelled like a fire." Her husband, Scott, realized they had left the burner on with a cast iron griddle on it, she said. They later founded out that the firemen were in training that day, so it was an unexpected way the family gave back again.
When his mom suggested the random acts project, Hunter, a seventh-grader at Cornerstone Christian Academy, was quickly onboard. "I thought it would be like a fun thing to help out and to bond with our family and be closer to God."
Three years ago, Hunter was the one, though, in desperate need of help and prayers.
On March 16, 2008, while riding motocross, he had an accident, separating his spine from his skull. Injuries like this are usually fatal, but doctors were able to save Hunter. He spent about five weeks at Children's Healthcare at Eagleston.
Since the accident, Chrissy Meredith said Hunter has become more connected to God.
On the first anniversary of his accident, Hunter formed a charity, Green H.O.P.E. to give to others. According to the nonprofit's Facebook page, its first project was to raise money selling Green H.O.P.E. T-shirts, wristbands and DVDs to help a 13-year-old teen paralyzed from the neck down after an accident.
His grandmother, Pauline Lopez of Florida, said she is very proud of Hunter and his sister. "It's been an amazing journey."
One friend, Linden Stewart, 13, said Hunter is an inspiration.
"It's great to see him," Linden said. "Every time I'm in sports and I don't think I can do it, I see Hunter do it. It blows my mind."
After his random acts of kindness day, Hunter was glad to go back to school and share with his fellow classmates and friends.
"They thought it was like really cool and some of them said I kinda inspired them to do more." he said. "Maybe this will start a chain reaction to help others."
About the Author
