Va. boy sells Pokémon cards to fund treatment for sick puppy
LEBANON, Va. (WCYB/WKRC) - How far would you go to save your dog? A young boy from Lebanon set the bar to a whole new level.
Eight-year-old Bryson Kliemann is a diehard Pokémon fanatic. He was organizing his playing cards and noticed his dog, Bruce, had fallen sick. His mother, Kimberly Woodruff, rushed the dog to Southwest Virginia Veterinary Services.
"He wasn't coming out of his cage and being the normal puppy he usually is," Woodruff said. "He was very lethargic, just not doing good."
Bruce was diagnosed with parvo, a highly contagious dog virus. The treatment cost is nearly $700 -- a price the family couldn't afford to pay for a puppy Kliemann says he couldn't afford to lose.
"It made me kind of sad because usually my brother and sister play together and I don't have anybody to play with. So, I usually play with (Bruce)," Kliemann said.
Aware of his parents' financial situation, Kliemann used his love for Bruce and his passion for Pokémon to take matters into his own hands. His plan caught his mother by surprise.
"While I'm in school I get a text message with a picture of him and a sign on the side of the road selling Pokémon cards," Woodruff said.
"I know everybody likes Pokémon cards so I just decided to sell them," Kliemann said.
Kliemann's mom posted the picture online to help get the word out. She later made a GoFundMe with a goal of $800, but the donations soon exceeded $2,000.
"I was so happy because I really wanted to get him back," Kliemann said.
After overwhelming community support and a week of treatment, Kliemann reunited with Bruce, proving nothing can beat the love between a young man and his furry best friend.
Bruce is still undergoing treatment and continues to gain strength. The remaining money from the GoFundMe donations will help pay for the dog's future vaccinations and other sick dogs in the community.
