WINSLOW (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Since we first told you about a Maine mom looking for the public's help in bringing a smile to her stepson's face, dozens of letters from around the world and endless messages of support on social media have poured in.
In his short life, 7-year-old Isaac has gone through so much.
“he feels like he’s the only one that has this issue and that nobody understands how he feels,” said his stepmom, Kayla Collins.
Isaac's family says he was the subject of excessive force from his kindergarten teacher, where an investigation led to that teacher’s resignation. He changed schools but still had trouble learning.
“I didn't know what to do to help him," said his mom, Abigail Hewins. "We had him in counseling. It worked for a while and it stopped because his counselor ended up being the school counselor, so it was kind of like getting a double whammy.”
Less than a year later, flames ripped through their Palmyra apartment building in the middle of the night, killing two people and destroying everything they had.
“They were on their bunk beds," said Hewins, "and I just ripped them, and I grabbed Aidan, he grabbed my keys, and we ran out the door. Three o'clock in the morning. I just loaded them in my car and drove away.”
Because of the trauma, Isaac now suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
“For a while, Isaac wanted to sleep by the door. He would wake up around 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, wake us up, and he would make us walk around the whole house with him, looking, making sure everything was fine," Collins explained. "He still wakes up at 3 or o'clock in the morning and he’s wide awake from then on. So it makes his days at school long.”
“It’s hard because he’s seven. He can't explain what’s going on, what’s going on through his head.”
So his parents took to Facebook, asking for everyone and anyone to send him something as simple as a hello. The power of social media worked its magic with love coming from as far away as Australia.
“We wanted to just see what if we could get a pen pal or somebody from every state to say, you know, hey, you’re not alone.”
NEWS CENTER Maine sent Isaac a weighted blanket to help him sleep at night, and the good news is he slept all through the night! Check out his reaction below.
Isaac loves to fish, the outdoors, and his brothers, Collins said.
If you'd like to send a postcard or picture to Isaac and Isaiah, they can be mailed to:
20 Garland Road
Winslow, Maine 04901