Here at TipHero, it’s our mission to share with you the best, most inspirational stories that we can find. Basically, our M.O. is to brighten up your day, whether it’s by sharing something simple like an enlightening (and very sweet!) nail trend or, something much more impactful, like a history-making wedding.

But, although we have “heartwarming” pretty much down pat, every once in a while, we learn of a new story that stops us in our tracks. Take today’s tale, for instance. It’s all about Addie Bryan, a tiny Texan who, for her 8th birthday, decided to forgo presents for something much more special.

We are getting ahead of ourselves, though; let’s talk about Addie first. When the girl was born, doctors noticed that something was not right with the newborn and she was subsequently diagnosed with Larsen syndrome, a rare condition that causes abnormal bone development.

Unfortunately for Addie and her mom, Julie, this meant a slew of surgeries, 60 to 70 casts to correct her deformities, and a half dozen surgeries. This is what Julie had to say about Addie’s rough medical journey:

When she was born, her knees were backward, her legs were all the way up to her head, she had hip dysplasia, and a club foot. We didn’t know if she would ever walk, if she would ever run.

Eventually, Julie began noticing significant improvements in the girl’s physical form, something for which she and Addie felt tremendously grateful. In fact, the little girl felt so much gratitude that she decided to use her upcoming 8th birthday as a way to raise money for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.

Addie kicked off her fundraising efforts by standing on a busy street corner in her hometown of Rockland, Texas with a sign that read:

My birthday wish is to raise $8,000 for my hospital Texas Scottish Rite for Children!

Incredibly, the sign worked and, over time, Addie was able to hit her goal of $8,000. She didn’t stop there, though; when the little girl realized that so many good people were willing to donate their hard-earned cash, she decided to continue her efforts, a move that made her dollar count swell to $19,500!

But, what’s even more amazing about this story is that the donations didn’t stop rolling in once she surpassed her goal. Upon learning of the sweet girl’s incredibly altruistic birthday wish, an anonymous donor decided to up the ante and pad the contribution with even more cash.

And, when we say “more cash,” we mean A LOT more cash!

To learn more about Addie’s philanthropic birthday gift and to discover exactly how much cash this anonymous donor gave, be sure to watch the video below. This is definitely one of those stories that help to restore our faith in the world. There sure a lot of kind, giving folks out there!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on little Addie’s big birthday donation! Are you surprised that she was able to raise so much money? Do you know someone who suffers from a similar condition? If so, what has their experience been like?