Tennessee Valley 5-year-old celebrates birthday by giving to doctors and nurses

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - There have been a lot of unique birthday celebrations during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, instead of receiving birthday gifts, a 5-year-old girl raised money to pay for lunch for 200 doctors and nurses at Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville.

Since plans of going to a bowling alley were thrown out the window, five-year-old Addie Cunningham had to come up with a new plan for her birthday.

She thought long and hard, she even made a video asking for donations. Her plan, give back to health care professionals at Crestwood Medical Center.

“For my birthday I want you to help me feed all of the doctors and nurses in Huntsville, Alabama,” said Addie Cunningham.

Her video on Facebook went viral and her goal of raising $1,000 was achieved.

Tuesday, her family pulled up to the Crestwood Medical Center with almost $1,600 worth of food.

More than 200 barbecue meals in to go boxes for the heroes who work at the medical center.

“When we asked her what she wanted for her birthday she said she saw on her news other people feeding nurses and doctors so she said she wanted us to help her do that, so that night we created a Venmo,” said Addie’s mom, Kara Cunningham.

Before taking the food, the staff at Crestwood Medical Center has a little surprise for Addie. They gave her a backpack for when she starts school next year and sang “Happy Birthday.”

“For a five-year-old little girl to take her birthday and celebrate her birthday in this way and birthdays are a big deal to five-year-old’s to come here in our facility and to bring us lunch like this it’s really giving of self,” said chief nursing officer Susan Bryce.

Addie’s parents say they have no idea what they’re going to do for Addie’s 6th birthday. But they know one thing is for certain, Addie will never forget her fifth birthday that she spent at Crestwood Medical Center.

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