Holton Weingrad has no idea what Facebook is, but he is already on it with way more followers than the average person — 9,317 this week to be exact.
Facebookers in the U.S. and worldwide have been following the 1-year-old's progress since he suffered a fall at 11 weeks old while under his nanny's care at his Los Angeles home shortly before Christmas. Holton then spent weeks in a children's hospital for a traumatic brain injury.
He remains visually impaired, suffers from seizures and has a feeding tube and both mental and physical handicaps because of what his father Eric Weingrad says was a lack of oxygen after the fall until a neighbor administered CPR.
The boy's aunt, Lauren Levin of Marlton, who flew to Los Angeles to be with her nephew and her brother following the tragedy, found the hospital atmosphere depressing — except for a holiday visit by Santa and local firefighter bearing Christmas gifts for the seriously injured toddler.
The Incredible Holt - Road to Recovery
So this holiday season she started her own Facebook and on-foot campaign in the tri-state region to seek toy donations in Holton's name for the young patients at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia who, like him, weren't able to go home for the holidays.
This was a bicoastal toy drive that went viral. "People all over the country donated toys because of a little boy they don't even know and never met," his flabbergasted aunt said.
Levin's garage was bursting with approximately 1,000 donated toys that last week headed to Children's Hospital, where parents of patients picked out free toys at the Snowflake Station, the hospital's holiday toy store operated by CHOP.
Billow's Electric participated in the drive and provided the truck that hauled the toys to Philadelphia.
Rose Seelenbinder, program coordinator, Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department at CHOP, said parents or other caregivers can choose items for the children in their family.
"We are so grateful for all of the donations and support we receive. They make a huge impact for our patients and families,” Seelenbinder said.
Levin conducted the toy drive under the auspices of a newly created nonprofit, Holton's Heroes, launched this week by her brother to raise money and awareness he hopes will help other families dealing with the TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) of children.
Weingrad set up Holton's original Facebook page, called "The Incredible Holt: Road to Recovery," and has now created a charity website, holtonsheroes.org.
"The toy drive was the charity's first mission—and the response was unbelievable!" Levin said.
"From so tragic a story about Holton's life came something so good and amazing. It turned a lemon story into lemonade," Levin added.
"When he was in the Mattel Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, it was so awful and depressing, especially at Christmas, except for the feel good gesture of a Santa and some firefighters," she recalled.
Stacked high in her garage were toy trucks, cars, stuffed animals, board games, play sets, building blocks and more.
"Mind-blowing" is how her brother characterized the public response to the toy drive.
"All kudos go to my sister, who is incredible and was desperate to help out others. It was all her doing," said the 38-year-old Weingrad. He said much of the time Holton lays flat in therapeutic equipment called “The Little Room,” made escpecially for children who are visually impaired. Holton lays in this see-through box with a wood-like floor, a mirrored wall, wall-mountings and hanging toys to encourage him to grab with his hands. The box also enhances the level of sound for him.
"He is now grabbing at things and laughing," said Levin, who saw Holton engaging in play and smiling during a trip to see him earlier this month. “It’s amazing because it was not the norm for him to be doing those things before."
Weingrad said he wants to provide equipment like The Little Room for other families whose child may suffer a similar injury.
Holton began cooing and laughing this month, added Weingrad. "This is earth-moving to me and gives us a sense of euphoria. We have been told so many negative things about his future, but all we wish for our son is some quality of life."
Despite the noises the baby has started making, Weingrad said his son's shrunken brain has shown no signs of growing and no one can predict if it will.
"We're now trying to get his daily seizures under control with new medication."
Weingrad left his job as a producer and director of reality shows this year because of his son's demands and now works as a Lead Editor for Whalerock Industries, a digital media company, while his wife works as vice president of casting for Lime Pictures.
Facebook follower Debbie Faye Plenn of Philadelphia wrote, "This is a truly remarkable family. You are always giving back to the community. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and wishes for all good things in the new year. Philly loves you."
Another social media post sending "love from across the waters" this month came from Janie Harper of Dundee in the United Kingdom.
Now a year later, Weingrad said the family continues to be surrounded by love and kindness.
"Holton still has more than 9,000 Facebook followers who are just as excited to hear about him now as they were a year ago when I started the site."
Carol Comegno: (609) 533-0306; ccomegno@gannettnj.com
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We are hosting our first Walk the Boards for TBI event on June 25 in Ventnor City, New Jersey. You can join us in our mission to bring children around the country who have suffered a traumatic brain injury some joy in their life. Come walk the boards with us or simply visit our site to donate—knowing full well you are not only making a deserving child happy but, selfishly, me too.
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