8 year-old raises $1,200 for paralyzed man's physical therapy sessions

June 10, 2013

8 year-old Katelyn Delicato has raised $1,200 for a man who was shot and left paralyzed last year in Dallas, Texas.

With profits from her lemonade stand, as well as donations from friends and family, Katelyn has been able to raise money for 21 year-old Luka Da Cruz's physical therapy sessions.

Katelyn started raising money for Da Cruz in February although she had never actually met him. This week, she finally got to meet the man she was helping.

Da Cruz was waiting for Katelyn at Project Walk Dallas, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through exercise-based recovery programs. According to her mother, she was 'awestruck.'

Da Cruz handed Katelyn one of his soccer trophies he had earned before the unfortunate accident.

"I know that had to mean so much to him because it was something that he won doing something he loved that he can’t do now," said Katelyn's mother Shala. "The fact that he gave her that trophy, that was very telling of how he feels about her."