Last week we talked about keeping kids safe while playing outside. Today Adrian and Ethan continue with keeping our kids safe from vehicular heatstroke.

Heatstroke can be a four-season threat in some parts of the country, so parents and others must remain vigilant.

About 38 children die each year from vehicular heatstroke, according to KidsAndCars.org and NoHeatStroke.org. Heatstroke is the leading cause of death in vehicles (excluding crashes) for those 14 and younger.

Earlier this month, a young Houston boy became the 5th child to die this year in a hot vehicle.

The inside of a vehicle heats up VERY quickly. Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees in minutes.

80% of the increase in inside temperature happens in the first 10 minutes. Cracking the windows does not help slow the heating process OR decrease the maximum temperature. Children have died from heatstroke in cars when outside temperatures were as low as 60 degrees.

The majority of parents and caregivers would like to believe that they could never “forget” their child in a vehicle. The most dangerous mistake one can make is to think leaving a child alone in a vehicle could never happen to them or their family.

We can always count on kids to see the issues and set out to make a difference…

13-Year-old Boy Granted a “Make-A-Wish” and Uses It to Feed the Homeless Every Month for a Year

It began in June 2020, when 12-year old Adeola "Abraham" Olagbegi was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare and life-threatening blood disorder. Because the disease causes bone marrow damage, Abraham needed a bone marrow transplant to survive.

When Abraham discovered his bone marrow transplant was successful, he was granted any wish of his choice by Make-A-Wish Mississippi, which grants wishes to children and teens ages 2-18 who are often battling devastating illnesses.

But the 13-year-old's wish was not a trip across the world or the newest gaming console. Instead, he chose to feed homeless people in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, for a year.

On the third Thursday of each month, Make-A-Wish’s Mississippi chapter has committed to helping Abraham coordinate with local organizations and businesses to feed up to 80 homeless people in Jackson’s Poindexter Park.

Abraham is just getting started. Make-A-Wish will help him feed the homeless every month for a year. And when his wish runs out, he plans to continue the effort by turning the experience into a nonprofit: "Abraham's Table."