When Maxwell Wilson was 2, multiple respiratory infections landed him at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County floor at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. He spent multiple stints there wearing a mask and was forced into quarantine from the other young patients.
While the stays were brief and Maxwell, now 7, has been granted a clean bill of health, the memories of CHOC never left him. He said he knew as early as first grade he wanted to do something to help, and the way he would do it was by making handmade books, illustrations included, with the proceeds being donated to CHOC.
“I knew I was not breathing so well and I got this special treatment that they gave me, so I was thinking of the other people who needed to be better,” the Long Beach boy said. “I said that maybe I could use all the money to give to charity.”
His mother, Elizabeth Wilson, said that he had pleaded with her and her husband to transform their house into a bookstore so he could sell his works. He recently downsized his request to just a few wooden shelves outside their home.
Two weeks ago they relented and opened an online store for Maxwell where he could connect with customers who he asks to donate to his fundraiser for CHOC in lieu of payment for his books.
“It’s picked up some odd momentum since then, but he’s just been so excited that people want his books and to be able to give money to the hospital,” Elizabeth Wilson said. “It was his idea and we just kind of went along with it because it was sweet and we wanted to encourage that.”
Wilson said that as a parent it was “super fulfilling” for her child to want to do something to give back to those in need. She called Maxwell an old soul whose personality is often larger than the room; he thinks of others first.
“I think that you kind of get surprised at first that a little person can have so much heart,” she said. “Kids can tend to be kind of selfish little humans so I think for me I was surprised. But he has always surprised me. He’s always had a big heart.”
And his heart is filled with seemingly endless book ideas. The storylines range from a friendship story about a big shark and a little fish to a seasonal story of the “Boo Brothers” who scare people for fun. Maxwell’s favorite books are titled “Ninja Spin,” which has already spawned four sequels with designs on taking the series at least up to 20. Thanks to a recent gift, his books also come with a Maxwell official stamp from his new embosser.
He’s expanded his book business to the point where he now takes requests for storylines as well as curating submissions from his classmates at Carver Elementary. As his business grows, he expects he might need help meeting future demands from Maxwell’s Bookstore. He’s even taken to ending his books with a few blank pages and a message “Now write your own book.”
“They think it’s pretty good and I’m inspiring people to make books in my class,” Maxwell said of his classmates.
The initial goal for his fundraiser is $1,000, a mark he said was set by his parents. Maxwell’s goal is a little more ambitious—$100,000. He hopes that his homemade books and one-off illustrations can assist CHOC in caring for the children who remain under its care. To date, he’s raised more than $400.
“I want them to buy more tools so they can help more people,” he said.
The hospital received news of his fundraiser a few weeks ago and were happy to hear that a former patient was going out of his way to do what he could to benefit the hospital and the children receiving treatment there.
“We are grateful to Maxwell and his family for generously donating books and raising money to support care, research and education at CHOC Children’s,” said Denise Almazon, director of public relations for CHOC. “Maxwell’s selflessness and desire to impact the lives of other children are inspiring.”
Recently his work was featured on the One Million Acts of Good project, a collaboration between Cheerios and “The Ellen Show.” Maxwell recalls spending his kindergarten afternoons with his mom watching “The Ellen Show” while his mother was on maternity leave with his little brother. While his main goal is to raise funds to help sick children at CHOC, should Ellen call…
“That would be like a dream come true,” Maxwell said.