• Home
  • Mail
  • News
  • Finance
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Search
  • Mobile
  • More
Yahoo
    • Skip to Navigation
    • Skip to Main Content
    • Skip to Related Content
    • Mail
    Follow Us
    • Video
    • Deals
    • Music
    • Good News
    • Recipes
    • Tickets

    Grieving Mom Hides Hot Wheels Around Town in Honor of Son Who Died of Cancer

    NICOLE PELLETIERE
    Good Morning AmericaDecember 9, 2016
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    An Indiana mother is hoping to preserve her son's memory by hiding his favorite toys, Hot Wheels cars, around the neighborhood for strangers to find.

    "Since he passed, it's hard dealing with your grief," Tracey Blackmore of Carmel, Indiana told ABC News. "You can be sad and feel sorry for yourself or you could do something about it. I just wanted to to spread his love and his story and also help raise money for childhood cancer research."

    On June 13, 2015, Brooks Blackmore, 6, was diagnosed with two astrocytomas, which are cancerous tumors of the brain. He underwent several bouts of radiation to fight the inoperable, stage 4 tumors. But in March 2016 another tumor developed and on May 21, 2016, Brooks died.

    "I just miss his laugh and the joy he would bring to our lives," Blackmore said of her son. "He was such a silly boy always making little fart jokes or butt jokes. He has younger siblings. They are now 3 years old. They're boy-girl twins and I miss the love that he would share with them."


    7-Year-Old Cancer Patient Granted Christmas Wish for Puppy From Santa

    Mom Asks for Christmas Cards to 'Lift the Spirits' of 9-Year-Old Daughter Battling Cancer

    6-Year-Old Sells Artwork to Buy Christmas Gifts for Kids in Need


    To add to the more than $20,000 Brooks' family has raised for childhood cancer research, Blackmore began assembling bags labeled "Finders Keepers, #BeBrooksBrave."

    Each bag contains Brooks' story, statistics on childhood cancer, a copy of Brooks' painting, a link to his St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraising page and a packaged Hot Wheels car donated by the Mattel toy company.

    "Brooks has always loved Hot Wheels," Blackmore said. "Whenever he was home and sick he would always ask to go out and get a Hot Wheel. This kid would remember every Hot Wheel he had, where he got it, where he got it from. We probably went out four to five times a week when he was undergoing treatment."



    December 20 would have been Brooks' 7th birthday. In an effort to remember him on that day and during the holidays, Blackmore began scattering 200-plus Hot Wheels cars in some of Brooks' favorite places including Target, his old preschool, the Chick-fil-A play area and his favorite restaurant, Panera.

    "We have a very emotional month here, so I wanted to bring it joy and happiness instead of sadness," Blackmore said. "I wanted to inspire others to keep fighting, be brave and hopefully do something good for somebody else too."

    Blackmore hopes the cars will cheer someone up just as they did for Brooks. She has mailed some Hot Wheels across the country so out-of-state family can hide them as well.

    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share

    What to Read Next

    • FBI probing whether Pensacola naval base suspect watched mass-shooting videos before attack, sources say

      Good Morning America
    • Live grenade found in dresser donated to North Carolina thrift store

      Good Morning America
    • 'Artificial barriers' winnowing Democratic presidential field: Sen. Cory Booker

      Good Morning America
    • President Trump 'abused his power to improperly put his thumb on the scale for the election': Rep. Zoe Lofgren

      Good Morning America
    • Arkansas police officer 'ambushed and executed' outside station, police say

      Good Morning America
    • New York cop chomps down on razor blade in sandwich, ruled accident by NYPD

      Good Morning America
    • New details emerge in Pensacola naval base shooting as investigation ramps up

      ABC News Videos
    • Heavy rain, strong winds and snow to hit parts of Western US

      Good Morning America
    • Judiciary Committee prepares to hear new testimony Monday

      ABC News Videos
    • Russia, Ukraine to hold 1st major peace summit in years next week

      Good Morning America
    • NFL players team up to promote ocean conservation

      Good Morning America
    • Democrats weigh in on next stage of impeachment process

      ABC News Videos
    • Conservationist attacked by her own tigers at animal sanctuary

      Good Morning America
    • 3 West Virginia corrections workers fired over 'disturbing' Nazi salute photo

      Good Morning America
    • There's a lot of buzz on a new drug to treat the flu

      ABC News Videos
    • Candidates of color raise concern over depleting diversity in the Democratic presidential field

      Good Morning America
    • Trump campaign runs misleading anti-impeachment Facebook ads

      Good Morning America
    • Outrage over new Christmas tree unveiled at state capital

      ABC News Videos
    • American student Xiyue Wang jailed in Iran for 3 years freed in prisoner exchange

      Good Morning America
    • Suspect arrested after allegedly posting video showing rehearsal for mass shooting

      ABC News Videos
    • Questions surround Tesla crash police say was in autopilot mode

      ABC News Videos
    • Taylor Swift lands top spot on Forbes Highest-Earning Musicians list for 2nd time

      ABC News Videos
    • American graduate student jailed in Iran has been freed

      ABC News Videos
    • Parents magazine highlights the best gear for a baby's 1st year

      ABC News Videos
    • Julia Stiles talks about 'Hustlers' and potential Oscar buzz

      ABC News Videos
    • 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' returns for its 3rd season

      ABC News Videos
    • Tory Johnson shares the best deals for skin care

      ABC News Videos
    • Tips for savvy holiday shopping

      ABC News Videos
    • Keanu Reeves' girlfriend reveals why she doesn't dye hair

      ABC News Videos
    • Ryan Reynolds collaborates with actress from controversial Peloton ad

      ABC News Videos
    • Delaware woman leaves snacks out for delivery drivers

      ABC News Videos
    • Amazon says holiday deliveries could be delayed due to bad weather

      ABC News Videos