Cleveland, Ohio – A four-year-old boy named Noah Ruiz from Cleveland, Ohio, showcased his love for Popsicles and SpongeBob SquarePants when he managed to order 918 SpongeBob Popsicles. The young boy went on an online shopping spree using his mother’s Amazon Prime account, surprising his mother, Jennifer Bryant, with a massive delivery of 51 cases of the icy treat.
Bryant, initially caught off guard by the unexpected delivery, was left with the overwhelming task of figuring out what to do with three 70-pound boxes of SpongeBob Popsicles that needed immediate freezing. With a total cost of nearly $2,619, she found herself in quite a predicament as Amazon wouldn’t accept the return of the Popsicles from a third-party vendor.
Fortunately, a friend and fellow student at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work set up a GoFundMe page to help Bryant with the expenses. The campaign not only covered the cost of the Popsicles within 24 hours but continued to receive donations far exceeding the initial goal. The extra funds raised will go towards Noah’s schooling and additional support for his autism spectrum disorder.
Noah’s repeated chant of “51, 51…” suddenly made sense as the community rallied behind the family to support them during an unexpected financial challenge. While the Popsicles ultimately melted in just two days, the heartwarming response from donors has provided a sense of relief to Bryant and her family.
In the end, the mishap led to a positive outcome, with the extra funds raised ensuring that Noah will receive the educational support he needs. Bryant hopes to put the additional donations towards sending Noah to a specialized school for children on the autism spectrum, fulfilling Noah’s dream of meeting his favorite cartoon character, SpongeBob SquarePants, in person.