The touching story of Rachel Beckwith and her last wish inspired thousands of people to contribute to charity. For her nineth birthday she didn't ask for toys, dolls, a new dress or a pair of shoes. Instead the girl from Seattle wanted her family and friends to give the money to Charity Water, an organization that helps people in developing countries to survive when there isn't sufficient drinking water. She wanted to raise 300 dollars to save 15 people who needed water...

"On June 12th 2011, I'm turning 9," she wrote on the page she made especially to raise funds. "I found out that millions of people don't live to see their 5th birthday. And why? Because they didn't have access to clean, safe water so I'm celebrating my birthday like never before. I'm asking from everyone I know to donate to my campaign instead of gifts for my birthday."

Her goal was to raise $300, but she only managed to collect $220, which really upset her. There was still hope that the remaining amount could be collect next year. Tragic circumstances prevented her from living to her next birthday. Rachel was a passenger in one of 15 cars that were involved in a terrible accident. After several days in the hospital they took her off of life support, because her injuries were too severe. It was a miracle that she was the only one to die in the accident...

But along with the news of her death spread the news of her last wish. Thousands of people around the world decided to fulfill the girl's last wish and continued to donate on her page, making this campaign the biggest in the history of Charity Water.


In a short time more than a million dollars was raised, and still the donations continued. The money collected was enough to save 600,000 people. Rachel was an unusually generous child and always tried to help others - twice she grew her hair and cut it off to donate it to children going through chemotherapy for cancer. Even after death she succeeded in saving the life of yet another seriously ill child in need of a donor organ

I hope this story touches you and that we all treat our neighbors a little better, and that we will more often notice and listen to the problems of the people around us.

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