New Lenox Boy, 8, Raises More Than $2K For Special Cause

NEW LENOX, IL — Lucas Johnson's entry into the world was off to a rocky start. When he was just 4 months old, Lucas underwent surgery for craniosynostosis, a birth defect in which the bones in a baby's skull join together too early, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the family awaited Lucas' surgery, they were given a care package from Cranio Care Bears, a nonprofit group started by two women who had children with craniosynostosis. The package included items for a hospital stay, such as toothpaste and socks, and also included a prayer chain that the family still has.

Since then, Lucas has developed as any other child his age. His mother, Hannah Johnson, said Lucas had a little delay in his speech development, but that has been overshadowed by a way in which not many children his age develop: with an abundance of kindness toward others.

At around Christmas, Lucas decided he wanted to raise money for Cranio Care Bears so that he could give back to the organization that was there for him and his family when they needed them.

"Lucas said, 'I want to raise $25.' And I told him, 'Well, someone might give you $5, so what would be maybe a different goal?' And he said, 'Well, how about $100?' And then people were just constantly donating. I just couldn't believe it. It brought me to tears."

When Hannah told Lucas they had raised $2,000 dollars, she said his eyes got wide with excitement.

Hannah told Lucas, "That's what happens when you have an idea and you put it into action. Your kindness is contagious."

It's a lesson that has certainly stuck with Lucas.

Even more recently, on Monday Lucas decided he wanted to shave his head so that he could show off his scars from his surgery. Lucas had brought in to school a book from Cranio Care Bears about craniosynostosis that explained it for younger children. No one in his class, including his teacher, ever knew Lucas had craniosynostosis, Hannah said. But now Lucas wants to help spread awareness of craniosynostosis.

"He said, 'I want to be able to see my scars. I want to see what they look like. I want to show everybody,'" Hannah said.

Hannah said the whole experience has been a positive one for Lucas and her family.

"Spreading kindness was what this was all about," Hannah said. "Give back, even if it's not donating money. Do little things, like ask how someone is doing when you're checking out at the grocery store. Just little things of being kind goes a long way. And that's what we were trying to get at with Lucas during this whole thing. Just be kind. You never know what someone else is going through."

Those interested in making a donation toward Cranio Care Bears can do so via Zelle at juanita1187@ymail.com or via Venmo at @Hannah-Johnson1987.