7-Year-Old Sells Lemonade to Help Pay For Her Brain Surgeries That Her Single Mom Can't Afford

After she was diagnosed with three malformations in her brain, a seven-year-old Alabama girl decided to sell lemonades to fund her surgery, thereby inspiring millions of people with her story.

In 2021, Liza was heard struggling for air at around 3 am by her mother, Elizabeth Scott, who thought she was having a nightmare. She gently shook her and put her back to bed.

When the seven-year-old continued having similar episodes, she was taken to the hospital for tests. After multiple tests, it was deduced that her attacks were erratic brain activity and something more fatal.

She was subsequently diagnosed with schizencephaly, a parietal arteriovenous malformation, and a dural arteriovenous fistula.

The doctor told her mother that her surgery would cost a significant amount since only a few doctors could perform such an operation. It would also require them to travel to Boston Children's Hospital to have it done.

Scott's insurance would pay for most of it, but they would also have to come up with the money for other expenses and travel costs. After hearing this, the little girl came up with a plan to help.

SELLING LEMONADE TO PAY FOR SURGERY

Liza refused to let her mother shoulder the burden of her surgery costs alone, and she asked to set up a lemonade stand. Her mother, Scott, who worked at the family-owned Savage's Bakery in Homewood, said:

"She just said she wanted to go to the bakery and start selling lemonade to help her get her surgeries."

Liza's mother built her a stand to make money, and the little girl started selling her lemonade drinks for 25 cents a glass.

HER STORY GOES VIRAL, AND HELP ARRIVES

When people heard about Liza's decision to help her single mother pay for the surgery, they were touched by her heartwarming resolve and decided to help.

Just by standing at her lemonade stand, the little girl received about $15,000 and almost $300,000 from a Mighty Cause page set up for her. Her mom, Scott, could not believe it, declaring:

"That’s just an unbelievable amount of love and support. There aren’t even words. It’s hard to wrap your head around it."

Her mother was pleasantly surprised by the warm gestures they received and explained how excited she was for her. She also hoped to make it a learning process and teach Liza compassion and kindness.

Scott also revealed that part of the money sent to help Liza would go to other families who needed to be assisted in one way or the other.

SUCCESSFUL SURGERY OPERATION

Liza was accepted by Boston Children's Hospital and was scheduled to be operated on by Dr. Ed Smith, a neurosurgeon, Dr. Darren Orbach, an interventional radiologist, and their medical team.

Speaking before the procedure, the little girl explained that even though her mother thought the process would be successful, she was a bit scared it would not be but hoped she would eventually make it.

Thankfully after her surgery, the doctors revealed Liza had a successful operation. Parts of her skull were replaced with special coils.

Her mother also explained the surgery went without any drama, but the girl has been feeling electrical activity in the right side of her brain.

Shortly after returning home, Liza was rushed to the hospital after waking up with extreme pain in her head and neck. The little girl was subsequently taken back to Boston.

After a year of going from Boston to Alabama, the doctors recently cleared Liza to go home, and the little girl was excited at the news and the idea of seeing her friends soon. She also planned to reopen her lemonade stand.

Meanwhile, there have also been similar stories to that of Liza as it emerged that in 2017, a 14-year-old boy Elijah Cossio helped to pay for his mother's healthcare by opening a bakery in Houston.

After his mother, Tina Hernandez, was involved in a car accident and was hospitalized for three weeks, the bills had piled up and Elijah thought to support his mother with clearing the bills. In addition, she had to learn to walk again due to the multiple surgeries she underwent.

The boy realized he had to do something and would wake up at 5 a.m every day to bake before class then sell them after school. His story touched many people as well, and they have reached out by donating to the GoFundMe his mother set up.