HOWELL, Mich. – There's a teenager in Howell who's been a through a lot in his short life. The 14-year-old was born with a cleft lip and is about to have his fifth surgery to repair it and other complications.
But that isn't the story, it's what David Deaton wants to do that's getting attention.
In August, he'll go in for another surgery and recovery could take a while. One of the complications of his cleft lip is a hole in his ear canal, leaving him with only 40 percent of his hearing.
"They're going to take a bone out of my skull and patch up my ear canal," Deaton said.
So, Sunday morning, David and his mother Heather were busy setting up yet another garage sale; they've had several over the past few weeks.
But why the garage sales? Who needs the money? David does – for other children.
He says when he was younger, his cleft lip and all the surgeries terrified him. Now, he's created "David's Smile," a project sending care packages and letters of encouragement, telling the thousands of other children with cleft lips that eventually, everything will be okay.
"I just don't want kids to go through what I went through, when I was younger and terrified," he said.
Here's the problem: Sending packages around the world costs money, and his mother, Heather, says his medical bills have left the family financially strapped.
"He wants to do this, but we're struggling financially right now," she said. "I do a really good job at keeping it from him because he doesn't need that stress, but we could be living in a tent and I would still let him do this, because this is what makes him happy and makes him feel good."
David doesn't know it, but of the dozens of care packages he's made, his mother has only been able to send a few; hence the garage sale and a GoFundMe website.
On the site, one donor wrote, "David, I live in Ohio and my co-worker told me that you mailed her daughter a cleft care package with a bunny, coloring books, and she showed all of us an award that said 'Cleft Warrior.' It is very thoughtful of you to want to help other children from around the world! I will be taking a collection for you from my church and will mail it."
But there's one more thing: A wish for surprise birthday cards from you, to David, who will be in the hospital during his next birthday.
"We wanted to do something for him, and so we thought with the cards around the world program it would not only show support for his birthday but that he is loved and he does have friends."
If you'd like to send David a birthday card, you can send it to:
Children Mott Hospital
ATTN: David's Card Party
1540 East Hospital Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Also, if you're interested in helping with David's project, visit David's Smiles or his GoFundMe page.