AURORA, Colo. — A little girl who is lucky to have lived past birth herself has found a way to help other children fighting for their life.
7Everyday Hero Adelyn Wall is taking an artful approach to making a difference.
"I have just always liked vibrant colors," Wall said.
The Wall family has a shed in the backyard that they call the "art barn."
"I just love to come out here if there's nothing else to do and just paint," Wall said.
Wall has been painting since she was two. Then at the ripe old age of seven, she got an idea.
"I saw a man holding up a sign asking for help, and at that moment I realized I wanted to use my art to help people in need," she said.
Wall decided to help the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital Colorado.
That is the very place she started her own life.
"When she was born there were ten doctors in the room and no one was really saying much, but we knew something was wrong," said Adelyn's mom, Anna Wall. "In the NICU I was told my daughter was failing to thrive and that we needed to prepare for anything."
Wall is 12 now and is doing great. She is creating more art than ever with the NICU babies in mind.
"I started creating more art and I put it on the stationary sets, and then I sell those at Barnes and Noble and other retailers and then all that money goes to the NICU," Wall said.
All those note cards have added up over five years. Recently, Wall presented a check to the Children's Hospital NICU for more than $20,000.
"As a nonprofit institution we really rely on benefactors like Adelyn. She's by far our youngest benefactor and the work she has done has been amazing," said Theresa Grover, M.D., Medical Director at Children's Hospital Colorado (NICU).
"It was definitely borne from her heart in a very organic way and it has blossomed into something beautiful and I am very proud of her," admitted Anna.
"I just wanted to help those babies who have to go to the NICU," Adelyn said.
To learn more about Adelyn Wall's artwork, check out her Facebook page here.
Mitch Jelniker anchors Denver7 in the mornings from 4:30 to 7 a.m. He also features a different 7Everyday Hero each week on Denver7. Follow Mitch on Facebook and Twitter. Nominate a 7Everyday Hero here.