Wellesley brothers launch charity organization to comfort children in hospitals

WELLESLEY, Mass. — While Tyler Michna was recovering from a broken leg in a Boston hospital five years ago, he saw firsthand how lonely it can feel for kids in the hospital.

“When I was there I noticed a lot of children who were alone either because their parents had to work or they were taking care of their other children,” he said. “So, I wanted to do something special for them.”

Tyler, who is now 18-years-old and a senior in high school, and his 16-year-old brother, Colin, had a simple idea: they wanted to make it a little more comfortable for children staying in the hospital. So, they launched a non-profit charity organization called Arts For Little Hearts.

Volunteers create handmade art projects, which are then distribute to children in hospitals all around the world.

“We actually have hospitals in twelve countries: Vietnam, India, Mongolia, Europe, China, Thailand, Brazil and Israel,” Colin said.

Colin and Tyler have even personally hand-delivered some of the donations to children in Thailand and China.

“It’s really something different when you see light up the smiles on their faces,” Colin said. “You can’t really put into words how good it feels.”

Each craft also has a personal note attached, proving that kindness and compassion knows no boundaries. Colin and Tyler coordinate the shipping of the donations to the participating hospitals all around the world.

Cox Media Group