WORCESTER, Mass. — Deidra Alsten knows what it's like to spend the holidays in the hospital.
One year, her son Jayden Carlson was admitted to UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center on Christmas Eve.
“We were nervous about Christmas gifts. Was Santa going to find us? So Santa found us, and the hospital just did an amazing job, and gave us all gifts, and it eased our worries," said Alsten, who runs Jayden’s Keys 4 Happiness.
What You Need To Know
- Jayden’s Keys 4 Happiness is collecting gifts for about 40 kids at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center
- Jayden Carlson died at the age of seven
- His family wants to give back to the community and other kids who are sick
- Those wishing to help can drop off donations at AAA in Webster or contact Jayden's mother, Deidra Alsten, through Facebook
Jayden spent a lot of time in the hospital during his short life. Alsten said at the age of two and a half, Jayden was so badly beaten, he ended up on life support. He was left blind, nonverbal and in a wheelchair.
Jayden was living in a pediatric nursing home when Alsten met him. She was going to be his foster mom, but became his forever mom after she adopted him.
“He was rolled in to the room and he has such a cute little face," she recalled. "We just fell in love. He has magic about him. Everybody who he met he touched."
In 2017, Jayden passed away at the age of seven.
Now, his family is continuing to touch others through Jayden’s Keys 4 Happiness. They’re collecting presents for the pediatric floor at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.
“People gave to us freely, and I just want to give back," Alsten said.
The family has teamed up with Kay Jewelers in Auburn to help collect bears. People can also drop off donations at AAA in Webster or contact Alsten though Facebook.
The family says they want to collect enough presents to help make the holidays better for about 40 children.