MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — A Monroe county boy lives by the phrase "giving is better than receiving." For two years, he and his family have put together gift bags with activities for sick children at East Tennessee Children's Hospital.
Every trinket placed in a colorful bag is an opportunity for second grader Andrew "Bubba" Williams to give back to kids at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, according to his dad Jason Williams.
"Last year, we decided to start Bubba Bags, and all it is it's a gift bag with a toy, coloring books, stickers, crayons, you know just a few things in there just to make kids feel a little bit happy, while they're in there," Jason Williams explained.
The idea for Bubba Bags stemmed from a personal place.
"Whenever he was born, he was a premature baby, so we spent a month in the NICU when he was born, and then after that, we went back and forth to children's hospital seeing different doctors and different people up there," Jason Williams said about his son Andrew.
It was during one particular ER visit that Bubba knew he needed to help.
"He said you know he got a gift bag while he was there, and he told us he said 'I wanna do that for other children,'" Jason Williams recalled.
For the 8-year-old, the reason for giving is simple.
"Because they will be happy," Andrew Williams said.
Every Bubba Bag delivery to the kids in need is a reminder of where this family once was.
"You know, every trip up there, it just reminds us how blessed we are to actually have him as healthy as he is right now because he's come through quite a bit in his life," Jason Williams explained.
His hospital stays sparked 230 bags in 2018 and 260 bags in 2019 equaling almost 500 bags delivered in two years.
All from a boy not even 10 years old.
The Williams family already delivered the bags this Christmas season, but they accept donations year round.
You can visit the group's Facebook page or call Jason Williams directly at (423) 351-3296 if you want to help.