Recently, a photo from a few years ago has begun to circulate repeatedly on social platforms: there is a folding table on the roadside. Under a rainbow umbrella, an eight-year-old boy wearing glasses stands behind the table. The table is filled with Pokémon cards. “Pokémon 4 SALE” is handwritten on the cardboard, and in the circle photo on the side, a black puppy sticks out its tongue happily. The text below the photo reads: A boy sold Pokémon cards to raise $650 for his dog’s medical bills, eventually raising $19,500 to successfully rescue his dog.
An 8-year-old boy named Bryson Kliemann from Lebanon, Virginia, set up a roadside stand to sell his prized Pokémon card collection after his puppy, Bruce (a black lab mix), was diagnosed with parvovirus (parvo), a potentially fatal infection.
The treatment was estimated to cost… pic.twitter.com/kC3Rj4VOse
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 28, 2026
This story takes place in May 2021. The protagonist is Bryson Kliemann, an eight-year-old boy from Lebanon, Virginia, USA. Although several years have passed since the incident, his story has recently been heavily retweeted on X (formerly Twitter). What kind of experience would make a child willing to sell his most cherished collection? The ending of the story far exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Puppy Bruce suffers from canine parvovirus
In March 2021, Bryson’s mother, Kimberly Woodruff, adopted a four-month-old black Labrador mix named Bruce from a friend’s dog. Bryson had wanted a dog for years and would cry every time he left the animal shelter. After Bruce arrived, the two little guys were inseparable.
The good times didn’t last long, and by early May, Bruce suddenly became lethargic, unwilling to leave the cage, and had no appetite. Woodruff took Bruce to the veterinarian, who initially diagnosed a parasitic infection and prescribed medication, but the condition continued to worsen and Bruce lost five pounds overnight between May 3 and 4. After further testing, veterinarians determined that Bruce was infected with parvovirus, a highly contagious and potentially fatal gastrointestinal virus. The cost of treatment is estimated to be about US$655 to US$700 (approximately NT$21,000 to NT$23,000), and the amount may be higher if hospitalization is required for subsequent observation.
The Woodruff family was not in a financial position to afford the expense. She was studying for a certificate in phlebotomy, and her husband, an arborist, was the sole breadwinner and had three children to care for. In order to save money, Woodruff once vaccinated Bruce by himself, but he did not know that the vaccine needed to be kept refrigerated, causing the vaccine to be ineffective.
Roadside stall sells cards to save dogs
On the night of the diagnosis, Bryson said to his mother, “I don’t want Bruce to die. I will pray that he doesn’t die.” The next day, Woodruff told the children truthfully: “Bruce may not be at home when I get home from school today. He may be in the veterinary hospital, or he may have gone to heaven.” After school, Bryson took out a stack of manuscripts drawn on the back of homework papers from his school bag, with designs for a stall drawn on them. He’s selling the Pokémon cards he’s collected since he was four years old for $5 to $10 each.
Woodruff initially refused, but Bryson turned to his stepfather, who agreed, seeing this as an opportunity for his child to learn responsibility. When Woodruff was in class the next day, he received a photo from her husband: Bryson had set up a table on the roadside in front of his home, held up a colorful umbrella, and read “Pokémon 4 SALE” on the cardboard. Woodruff cried when he saw the photo. “Seeing him be so selfless made me know I was doing the right thing in raising him,” she said.
Bryson said in an interview with local TV station WCYB: “I was a little sad because usually my brothers and sisters play together and I don’t have anyone to play with, so I usually play with Bruce. I know everyone likes Pokémon cards, so I decided to sell them.” He made $65 on the first day, and accumulated about $400 in two afternoons. Some neighbors not only came to buy cards, but also brought their own Pokémon cards to donate to Bryson, some donated cash, and some donated pet supplies.
Love pours in from all over America
Woodruff posted photos of Bryson’s stall to a local Facebook group in the hope that more neighbors would come and support. She launched a GoFundMe campaign called “Just a boy trying to save his dog” with a goal of just $800. After being reported by WCYB, the story quickly spread and was picked up by national media such as The Washington Post, ABC’s Good Morning America, TODAY, CNN, and USA Today.
Donations poured in from across the United States and even overseas. Donors came from Ireland, the United Kingdom, Poland, Australia and elsewhere, Woodruff told WSET. GoFundMe funds continued to rise, eventually accumulating more than US$19,000 (approximately NT$620,000), with some reports indicating that the amount reached more than US$21,000, far exceeding the original goal of US$800.
Bruce recovered and returned home after a week of hospitalization. “He has follow-up vaccination appointments, but he’s doing great,” Woodruff said. “I’m super happy because I really want him back,” Bryson said.
The Pokémon Company sends rare cards
Bryson’s story reached The Pokémon Company’s headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. Employees sent a package to Bryson containing multiple battle decks (Battle Decks) and a set of Pokémon Battle Academy board games, as well as some rare cards that are hard to find on the market. Attached to the package was a letter: “Hey Bryson, we were so touched by your story about selling cards to help rehabilitate dogs. The enclosed cards can help you replace the ones you sold.”
continuation of the story
The amount raised far exceeded Bruce’s medical expenses. Woodruff closed the GoFundMe donation feature and is using the remaining funds to pay for Bruce’s follow-up vaccines and to help other families in Southwest Virginia facing hardship with their pets’ medical bills. As of June 2021, three families have benefited. “We definitely want to pass on the love,” Woodruff said. “Knowing that other families are in the same situation, we want to help.”
An eight-year-old’s choice started out as a way to scrape together $650 to save his dog. In the end, his selflessness inspired an act of love across multiple countries, prompting a global gaming company to personally respond and allowing more sick pets to be treated. The story begins small, with a table, an umbrella, a piece of cardboard with handwriting, and a child’s love for his dog.
Source: KOCPC Chinese