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Katy kid spreads smiles with toys

In 2016, Samantha asked David what he wanted to do to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. After 10 minutes, David returned and told her he wanted to "make cancer kids smile."

KATY, Texas — Having beaten cancer, a young Katy boy donates thousands of gifts to put smiles on children’s faces.

It was never meant to be more than 10 or 15 toys, but that didn’t stop David Lauritzen from collecting thousands of dollars to buy thousands of gifts.

“David’s Toy Project,” was an idea that really was a surprise to David’s parents, Samantha and Aaron.

In 2016, Samantha asked David what he wanted to do to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. After 10 minutes, David returned and told her he wanted to “make cancer kids smile.”

The same way he smiles, having been cancer-free himself for the last two years.

David was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), shortly after he was born. After 18 months, David was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a little-known type of cancer.

“For us, we get bogged down in the emotion of trying to fight it and he (David) says I can do something about it,” Aaron said.

Using a small coin jar, David collected money anywhere he could, from anyone he could. At first he began buying gift cards and leaving them in Christmas stockings around Texas Children’s Hospital.

Then he thought, why not buy the gifts himself?

The first year, David collected $1,100 and bought 220 toys. In the second year, David collected $2,400 and 700 toys.

“His six year old heart said can we ask other people for their coins and I couldn’t tell him no and I’m kind of glad I didn’t,” Samantha said.

At Ron Hoover’s RV in Katy, they heard about David’s story and offered their sales floor to help David get more donations.

“Told them we would give everybody lunch that came. Ron heard about it and said anything we collect that day, I’ll match it,” said Joe French, marketing manager for Ron Hoover’s RV.

It took no more than five hours for David to raise $3,386. Bringing his year total, to just under $10,000.

All the toys are donated to hospital and at first were given only on special occasions. However, with this many toys donated, Samantha says kids now get toys whenever they want.

For more information on David’s story or on how you can donate, click here.

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