8-year-old's Central Park lemonade stand raising money to help friend in Hawaii
CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan (WABC) -- Every little bit helps - and while 8-year-old Julian Lin's lemonade stand may look like any old lemonade stand in Central Park, it is a way to pour his heart out. He is raising money to help his friend, Ryan, who lives on Maui.
"Generosity to me is like breathing. If you make me not be generous, then I'll die," said Lin.
Ryan was the boat guide for Lin and his mother, Julie Meerschwan when they vacationed in February. Now, Ryan is one of the many people whose homes burned down in the wildfires.
"It's shocking and it's devastating, and I am bleeding for the people there and we want to make any small contribution that we can," Meerschwan said.
The devastation in the town of Lahaina is unthinkable. Residents are returning home to what looks like a warzone.
"We just want to see what's left, but there's nothing," said Jhoana Agbayani.
The flames are also tearing through this Kula neighborhood, destroying everything residents have ever known.
"It felt like safety, and it felt like home. There are things you think you'll always have, you think you'll give it to your children," said Akane Joseph.
Lin is hoping their resiliency helps them prevail, just like he did after his lemonade stand money was stolen a couple of months ago.
On Saturday, the NYPD handed Lin a check made out to his favorite charity - all in the same spirit of 'Aloha,' a word with great significance.
"It also means love, people don't know that - so you have to say it with passion," Lin said.
Julian's GoFundMe page for Ryan and Hawaii fire relief efforts can be found here.
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