HAWLEY, Pa. — This photo shows 2-year-old Caleb Regenski with his first friend Maya Pagano.
Maya is now a senior at Wallenpaupack Area High School. Caleb didn't make it to preschool.
"He was healthy, then he was sick, then five days later, he had passed away," said mom Nichole Granville.
Although their family's hospital stay was tragically brief, they knew that wasn't the case for every child.
"There was a little boy right down the hallway, and he had been there for over three weeks by himself. And we found out it was because his parents had children at home and their jobs and they couldn't be there all the time. It was one of those things that we just couldn't deal with, so we said, 'We've got to do something.'"
Nichole started a foundation called Pennies From Heaven. The organization raises money for families with critically ill children.
"We pay bills—rent, mortgage, electric—anything we can do to help them so that they can stay with their child during the worst time of their lives."
So far, the group has helped more than 950 families. They want to help more.
And the seniors at Wallenpaupack, who would have been Caleb's classmates, want to join in.
"It's crazy to think that Caleb would've been here with us—prom, graduation, all that stuff. So, this event really has such a great meaning behind it, and we're all so excited to be a part of it," said senior Nevaeh Buddenhagen.
The event is a "tricky tray" fundraiser, with more than 200 baskets donated to raffle off.
It's a lot of work for both the volunteers and the high schoolers.
But all Maya Pagano has to do is look at that photo to know it's all worth it.
"It's heartbreaking in the sense that this could've been my best friend, but it makes me feel good to know that we're doing this in his memory and that everything, all the work we put into this, it's going to such a great cause."
The event is on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at Wallenpaupack Area High School.
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