In March, Emouree Johnson experienced something that no child should ever have to go through. Her mom, Karli Bordner, passed away unexpectedly at only 29 years old. As you can imagine, this has been devastating for the 7-year-old girl and her family. In addition to the grief they’re all feeling, there’s also the stress of funeral expenses. Recognizing this to be true, little Emouree came up with an idea to help.
Like many other kids her age, Emouree wanted to set up her own lemonade stand. More specifically, she wanted to help pay for her mom’s headstone. To help make the fundraiser a success, she encouraged her grandma, Jennifer Bordner, to share a photo of her on Facebook. Grandma was happy to oblige, but she had no idea just how much doing so would compel their community to help.
“Emouree is so special if you haven’t figured it out,” Jennifer says. “She’s the kid that will … if this lady over here is hurt, she’ll take something to help her.”
Soon, countless giving folks showed up in droves for Emouree’s $1 lemonade. This includes neighbors, firefighters, nurses, and deputies. Despite the low cost of the drink, the 7-year-old was give rather big tips, including $100 bills.
“I didn’t know just making a little lemonade would bring this many people to my house,” Emouree admits. “It’s fun, but it’s unbelievable at the same time.”
Community Rallies Behind 7-Year-Old When She Sells Lemonade for her Late Mother
Between Emouree’s lemonade stand and the the GoFundMe the family created, they’ve raised more than enough money for Karli’s headstone. In fact, monument companies have offered to donate headstones for the beloved Mom. Any excess money will go into an account specifically for the 7-year-old, that way she’ll have help with expenses she may have in the future.
“Thank you. Thank God because of all of you,” Jennifer shares in a Facebook post. “… I have never experienced something so amazing a gift from God for Emouree. This has been an amazing blessing I can’t say thank you enough.”
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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