Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Others Raise Funds For Paralyzed, Orphaned Berry Kids
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After the Berry children of West Texas lost their parents and were paralyzed in a car accident, the support started out small. The community hosted bake sales and fundraisers. Then, people nationwide began holding charitable events for the kids. Now, the country's biggest superstars are lending support.
Justin Bieber has launched the Show Your Hearts campaign to raise money for the Berry children. Bieber is asking people to donate through the site or by texting BERRY to 85944. He's also asked people to swap out their social media profile photo for the fundraiser's logo.
Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears and a host of entertainers and athletes have tweeted to their followers asking for donations to the family.
A member of Bieber's management team actually reached out to the family after news of the crash, Berry family friend Allen Deutsch tells the Huffington Post. The team member also happens to be a relative of Simone Berry, the children's aunt and new guardian, along with their uncle Matt Berry.
"Justin Bieber found out about it, and he reached out to the family. And they agreed to his amazing gesture of goodwill," Deutsch said.
Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, were paralyzed from the waist down on July 2 when an SUV veered into their lane, hitting the minivan their parents were driving on a poorly lit West Texas highway, the Huffington Post reported shortly after the accident.
The children's parents, Josh and Robin Berry, both died from the crash. Willa Berry, 6, has been released from the hospital with a broken arm and leg, Deutsch says.
The children will live with their aunt and uncle, who will need to completely renovate their house, according to Deutsch. The family is looking to buy a new place, but in the short-term, they'll need to make accommodations in relation to stairs and doorways for the kids.
The boys will likely never walk again, Deutsch says.
"We're not giving up hope. Maybe with advances and medical breakthroughs, they may make some recovery. But as we speak right now, it doesn't look like it."
The Berry boys were treated at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston and are now undergoing rehab at Shriners Hospital in Chicago.
They'll likely stay in Chicago for six to eight weeks before returning to Texas.
See the Twitter slideshow of celebrity support for the Berry kids.
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First Posted: 07/27/11 05:17 PM ET Updated: 09/26/11 06:12 AM ET