The wishes of today’s children sometimes surprise us, especially when their letters contain requests that go beyond toys and clothes. Occasionally, they astonish us with some unexpected desires. This is one such story from 2013.
When Karen Suffern from Rocky Mount, N.C. asked her 8-year-old twins—Ryan and Amber—to write a letter to Santa, she was taken aback by their responses.
To her astonishment, Ryan’s letter included a request for Santa to stop the bullying that his sister faced at school. Amber, a third-grade girl, endured bullying every day. Karen had anticipated that her twins would ask for typical gifts like toys, books, and clothes.
In his first wish, Ryan wrote, “Dear Santa… I wanted a [remote control] car and helicopter, but I don’t want that anymore. Kids at school are still picking on Amber, and it’s not fair because she doesn’t do anything to them… I prayed that they will stop, but God is busy and needs your help. Is it against the rules to give the gift early?”
(Forget the spelling mistakes; after all, he is just a cute little child.)
In his second wish, he added, “Can you ask Big Time Rush to come to Amber’s birthday party? It will make her so happy. If you can’t get them to come, just get her everything she asks for. Thanks, Santa.”
Amber was a fan of the band Big Time Rush, which was popular in New York City.
Karen recounted, “Ryan handed me his letter and told me not to read it, so of course, I read it to find out what he wanted. That’s when I realized and thought, ‘Oh my gosh.’”
When Karen shared the letter on her Facebook page with family and a few close friends, it quickly went viral. People were touched by Ryan’s heartfelt words. “It’s amazing and overwhelming at the same time,” Karen said.
When ‘Good Morning America’ caught wind of his letter, they contacted Karen and her twins. One of Ryan’s requests was fulfilled that very day by the show.
During their appearance with co-anchor Josh Elliott, Amber explained how kids at school picked on her but admitted she didn’t understand why.
In the interview, Amber told Elliott, “They say I’m fat. I’m stupid. I’m ugly. And I’m hideous. I don’t really believe them.”
When Ryan expressed his wish that the kids would bother him instead of his sister, Amber responded, “You don’t have to do that.” To which he insisted, “Yes, I do.” Amber described Ryan as a fun, active, and protective brother, which is why she was so touched by his letter to Santa.
Meanwhile, to their surprise, Big Time Rush was waiting to surprise Amber as an early birthday gift, just as Ryan had wished. Amber was serenaded with a special performance by her favorite band, bringing a much-needed smile to her face. They were also invited as VIP guests to a weekend concert in New York City.
Regarding the bullying, Karen was already aware that her daughter was being tormented at school, which broke her heart. “She would tell me things that kids would say at school,” Karen explained. “They would egg her on to do different things: she would crawl on the floor of the bus, eat things off the chairs… It hurt me because I thought, ‘I hope she’s not feeling how I used to feel when I was her age.’ It was a pattern.”
Karen had also experienced bullying in her childhood. In a recent conversation with Amber, she said, “Sometimes I just feel like I wanna die so they’ll leave me alone.” That was when Karen decided enough was enough.
“As soon as those words came out of her mouth, I literally felt my heart stop,” Karen said, becoming emotional. “I told her I would do everything I could to protect her.”
Karen shared that Amber was dealing with ADHD, depression, and a mood disorder. Thanks to Ryan’s letter, Karen was able to initiate a dialogue with her children’s school, leading to improvements for Amber.
Karen stated, “The school has been in touch, and they’re ensuring my daughter feels comfortable and safe. They moved her on the bus because about 98 percent of the bullying takes place there. She’s now sitting with her cousin, who is much older than Amber.”
“Today and yesterday she didn’t wake up begging me to let her stay home, so I guess that’s a good sign,” Karen said.
This story illustrates how a heartfelt letter from a little one can create a significant impact.
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