The Alabama website AL.com recently published one of those "heartwarming human interest"-style pieces that you see every now and then. But the topic of this particular story was a seven year old girl from Scottsboro named Emouree Johnson, who couldn't afford to buy a gravestone for her mother, who passed away unexpectedly in March.
But instead of getting distracted by the gut-wrenching realities of poverty and healthcare in America, this is framed instead as a delightful story of a community that came together to support people in need:
On Thursday, around 100-150 folks came out, according to Debbie, to purchase a drink. Even more brought donations from friends who couldn't make it out. Some people drove up and handed the family their donations in exchange for a cup; others got out and mingled and talked with the family. Some brought more lemonade, sugar, lemons and cups in case Emouree ran out. (In fact, the local Piggly Wiggly ran out of lemons Thursday.)
So much of the community was there – police officers, a motorcycle group, judges, EMS workers, nurses – to show their support. Numerous businesses – the list is long, and it keeps growing – brought checks or pledged money to help. Others have donated clothes for Emouree and brought food.
But that's not it. Multiple local monument companies reached out to donate a tombstone to the family, and enough money has been raised to pay for her mom's funeral costs.
To be fair, that does sound pretty wonderful. But I find it hard to celebrate while my heart is busy breaking for poor, young Emouree, who not only lost her mother so soon, but also had to resort to these measures in order to bury her beloved parent with any shred of dignity. (The euphemisms and lack of details are Karli's death fill me with even more sadness.)
I'm glad this community showed up to support Emouree at such an awful. I'd be more inspired if they had showed this kind of compassion before it reached the point that a seven-year-old girl had to start a lemonade stand to bury her mother. But hey, when life hands you lemons, I guess.
There is a GoFundMe campaign currently active to cover the rest of the funeral costs.
This Alabama 7-year-old started a lemonade stand to pay for her mother's tombstone [Haley Laurence / Al.com]
Previously: When life hands you cancer, make cancer-ade: via lemonade stand, 6yo boy raises $10K for dad`s chemo
