In a touching act, an anonymous veteran gifted his or her own Purple Heart to a young girl recovering from a recent stabbing, NBC News reports.
The girl was stabbed 19 times on May 31, when two friends lured her out to the woods and attacked her. The two friends, both 12 years old, confessed they stabbed her in attempt to impress an online character known as the “Slender Man.”
The Purple Heart is awarded to soldiers injured in battle. The anonymous veteran included a card with the medal that read, “The only heart I could find! Be strong!”
“The family has been so touched and moved by this act of kindness that they would like to personally thank the individual, publicly or privately, for the gift and for their sacrifice for our country,” said the girl’s family in a statement.
Wisconsin Secretary of Veteran Affairs noted that “American service men and women are also moms and dads, uncles and aunts — brothers and sisters.”
“It does not surprise me that a decorated veteran unselfishly gave this amazingly brave and courageous little girl something from his or her heart,” he said to NBC News.
As news spread of the veteran’s gift, thousands of others have mailed their own paper-made purple hearts to the young girl.
In addition to piles of get-well cards, over $50,000 has been raised to help cover her medical expenses.
The young girl is currently continuing her recovery at her home in Waukesha, Wisc.
Watch The Today Show segment on the gift below:
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