Cub Scouts give back to hospital and toy closet that helped one of their own

Sometimes when bad things happen to good people, something amazing is the result. An example of this phenomenon is a car accident that hospitalized two Maricopa youngsters. During their treatment and recuperation, they were introduced to Andrea’s Closet, which resulted from the tragic death of eight-year-old girl named Andrea Brunk. Cub Scout Pack 997 in Maricopa stepped up to honor one of their own Wolf Scouts by donating to Andrea’s Closet.

Pack 997 members (left to right): Committee chair person Joanna Ferguson, Bear Den Leader Christine Bergen and son Jake, Luke Spencer (holding Brent Bergen), JR Ferguson, John Spencer, Ira Smith, Alex Bergen, Bradley Ruminer, Haily Ruminer and Sadie, the hospital’s Wonder Therapy Dog.

Cub Scouts (left to right) Ira Smith, Bradley Ruminer, John Spencer, Alex Bergen, Luke Spencer, Haily Ruminer and JR Ferguson fill one of the hospital carts with toys donated by Pack 997.

The chain of events began at the end of October when Bradley Ruminer, a second grader at Santa Rosa Elementary School and his sister Haily, a fourth grader, were involved in a terrible car accident on the Loop 202 at 24th Street. Although details are unclear, their biological mother lost control of the vehicle in the far right lane, swerving across all four lanes and hitting the metal barrier against the concrete wall separating the HOV Bridge from the other lanes.

According to Lorraine Ruminer, the children’s stepmother, “The children, who were belted in the back seat, but were not wearing their seat belts properly, sustained injuries to their lower abdomens and had internal bleeding and fluid in the abdominal cavity from tears in their intestines that required laparoscopic surgery to repair. Haily had to have a small section of her intestine removed and suffered a fractured jaw. Bradley sustained a concussion and a nasty forehead contusion.”

Taken from the scene to Maricopa Medical for immediate treatment, the children were operated on and moved to a room, which they shared, on the pediatric floor. Their mother had a broken wrist and had to have surgery also, from which she is still recovering.

While they were on the pediatric floor, the children had to work through recovery exercises. Ann Roseman, a Child Life Specialist at the hospital, helped them with their rehabilitation. Roseman noted, “When the children were hospitalized, they were always concerned about each other’s welfare, even more so than their own. Haily was pivotal in Bradley’s recovery. She motivated him to get out of bed and walk to the Child Life playroom when no one else was able to convince him to do so. From that point on Bradley proceeded in his recovery much more quickly. Despite being traumatically injured, both children exhibited positive attitudes, extreme gratitude and even the best of manners with the staff.”

While still at Maricopa Medical Center, the kids and their family attended a dedication for the new Andrea’s Closet for pediatrics. They were so impressed with the philosophy behind this cause that Bradley’s Cub Scout Pack decided to do a toy drive for it.

Bradley, Lorraine and dad, Brad Ruminer, outside Maricopa Medical Center.

Haily makes sure there are some toys for girls among the donations.

Andrea’s Closet is named for Andrea Brunk, who was eight when she was
diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in July 2000. Obviously, she had a difficult time with her regular and dreaded visits to Phoenix’s St. Joseph’s Hospital for often-painful procedures. Then she found a closet on the ward filled with toys and prizes. That find proved a positive source of reinforcement for Andrea. According to her mom, Traci, Andrea would say, “I get to go to that closet every time I get poked.”

Andrea’s battle lasted only 18 months, and her mother found that coping meant shopping, something she and Andrea had really enjoyed doing together. Traci Brunk bought toys, all the toys that Andrea would have liked. Then she and her husband Kenny bought more toys, including some for boys. They went to St. Joseph’s with their idea of building a closet space and stocking it with toys. Selecting a toy while you are in the hospital may not seem like a big thing, but, for sick or injured children who are being poked and prodded, it’s a choice, one of the only ones they are able to make. That freedom of choice gives them the feeling that they still have some control over their lives.

Today there are Andrea’s Closets, “bringing smiles one toy at a time,” in several hospitals in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. On February 24, closets will open at Tucson Medical Center’s Emergency Department and at the University Medical Center in Tucson. The organization is always receptive and very grateful for donations of new, unwrapped toys or cash to purchase those toys. It encourages groups to sponsor toy drives to replenish the closets’ supplies, and that is exactly what Cub Scout Pack 997 did.

Bradley is a Wolf Scout, and dad Brad is the assistant Den Leader. Lorraine serves on the Pack Committee, which was looking for a service activity for the scouts. Assistant Pack Master Paul Spencer suggested organizing a toy drive for Andrea’s Closet on behalf of Bradley and Haily for the excellent care they received. In November and December the scouts brought in toys, which were presented to Andrea’s Closet just a couple of weeks ago. Because you have to be a sibling of a patient if you are under age 12, Pack 997 arranged to drop their donations off at the hospital’s entrance.

JR Ferguson drops off his load of toys at the hospital entrance.

John Spencer (left), Alex Bergen and Haily are just happy to have helped Andreas’s Closet.

Both Bradley and Haily are fully recovered from their injuries and are back in school. Bradley recently made the Honor Roll at Santa Rosa, and Haily made the Principal’s List for all A’s. Andrea’s Closet has a new supply of toys, courtesy of Cub Scout Pack 997 in Maricopa.

Sometimes when bad things happen to good people, there ARE some amazing results!

(photos courtesy of Lorraine Ruminer)