Boy buys fruit for ill grandma with last cash, store owner makes unexpected hospital visit

While the cashier counted the coins, I decided to talk to the boy. Me: That is a lot of fruit. Who are those for? Him: For my grandmother. She’s in the city hospital. Fruits are going to help her get better! Me: What’s your name, young man? Him: Tyler. Me: Tyler, that is an impressive amount of money you’ve saved up, but you are actually $14 short. But that’s alright. You go on and take these fruits to your grandma. Him: No, no. I don’t want to take any of it for free! Suddenly the boy’s eyes lit up and he said: “I’ve got an idea!”

Martha wasn’t just her grandson’s caregiver but also his best friend. Sweet Tyler thought of her a lot, and he missed her every day despite his father taking him to the hospital as often as possible.

That morning, Tyler was watching a video of him and his grandma on the porch. They were laughing together, and he loved seeing her laugh. But now that she was at the hospital and was at risk of contracting pneumonia, he knew he needed to take care of her just as she did when his mom and dad weren’t around.

But what could he possibly do, he wondered.

Then, he remembered his granny’s words that food was like medicine, and every illness was the body’s way of signaling its needs, so he decided to bring her some juicy oranges.

Thrilled by the idea, he reached to his piggy bank that was filled with coins of 50 cents he earned from his grandma for every riddle he got right. Yes, Tyler enjoyed solving his grandma’s riddles. It was his favorite part of hanging out with meemaw.

The following morning, he convinced his dad to make a quick stop at the grocery store on the way to the hospital. “Please, Dad, it’s for Grandma! It’s a surprise, I promise!” He got out of the car with his backpack and dashed into the store.