Little Boy Sets Up Lemonade Stand to Honor Late Fathers Request - And to Take His Mother on a Date

Kids become mini entrepreneurs for all kinds of reasons. To raise money for a new video game. So that they can get some items for school. Or just because it sounds like a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon.

For six-year-old Brady Campbell, however, setting up a lemonade stand was something he wanted to do to honor a promise he had made to his late father: take his mother out on a date.

Turning Lemons Into Lemonade

In 2019, Brady Campbell lost his father, Brandon Campbell, following a six-month battle with colon cancer. It was a hard time for the family, but to cope, Brady wanted to earn money to take his mother out on a date.

“My dad and I came up with the idea of a lemonade stand to take my mom on a date because I didn’t have enough money and I wanted to pay, so I did it,” Brady told KDVR.

Brady had the sign ready to go and planned to do it with his dad for weeks, but his dad just hadn’t been well enough to get out there. The day after his dad passed, Brady insisted on getting out and opening shop.

Showing Strong Support

Once the stand was running, Brady charged a dollar or best offer for a cup of lemonade. Friends and family showed up, and it made everyone feel good to see the kid's heart and hard work during a time of grief.

A first responder noticed the gathering and stopped to see what was happening. He then got on the radio and invited some co-workers to swing by. Altogether, roughly 75 people showed up that day.

“It was amazing. You could just feel the warmth and energy and [it was] such a positive thing in such a tragic time for us," Brady’s mom, Amanda, told the outlet.

“It really lifted our spirits and really made Brady so happy. Brandon was a savvy businessman and wanted to teach Brady all those lessons, and I could just [see] it happening. It made my heart really happy."

That day, Brady raised $244, more than enough for a nice date with his mom. He told KDVR that his mom likes sushi, so maybe they will go for that and then get ice cream for dessert. Ideally, he explained he wanted to take his mom out once a week.

“Maybe we will have our Friday night date night. Brandon and I used to do that, so I think we will start that and take the time to spend that time together,” Amanda added.

Taking the Cause Further

Inspired by the little boy’s actions, a neighbor set up a virtual lemonade stand on GoFundMe to help the family. There, a small portion of the funds will go towards Brady and Amanda’s date nights and adventures, and some will go towards Brady’s college education. Most of it, however, will be put toward the Palliative Care Team and Cancer at University of Colorado Anschutz.

“Through that, we can get advocacy out, the word for colon cancer, especially young-onset colon cancer,” Amanda explained. “We are happy through all this, we have brought some awareness. I feel like it gives some purpose to such a tragedy.”

Finding Purpose

When you lose somebody you love, it’s easy to lose your purpose or feel as though life is unfair. Grief is a powerful thing, and it doesn’t just come and go. It persists in waves, takes us by surprise, and morphs into many different things.

One way to deal with grief and emotional loss is by finding purpose. That’s one reason this story strikes a chord with so many people. This family went through a tragic time, and now they’re trying to do something good to give the situation purpose and make them feel as though they’re doing some good.

It’s a reminder for all of us that when grief strikes or tragedy hits, it can help to find some positive in the situation. Honoring a loved one through a charity or foundation, raising money in their name, or giving back to a cause close to their heart can help.

That person may be gone, but at least we can keep their memory alive through purposeful action.

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