Construction Crew Melts Riley Mom’s Heart

Ironworker Craig White didn’t know the boys who were leaving notes for construction workers in the window of their room at Riley Hospital: "Good morning" and "Be safe" often greeted them when they arrived on the job site.

White began writing back, using steel beams as his note cards. "Hello" he wrote under an outline of his hand and "See you Monday" before a weekend.

In this electronic age, a tough ironworker and two fragile little boys had struck up a friendship the old-fashioned way.

Last month, a woman visited the construction zone to tell the crew that one of the sign makers was her son, Brandon - and that he was going home. Would they come and say goodbye?

Without hesitation, the crew of Ben Hur Construction said, "yes." They signed a hard hat; then a small group took it and other items to the boy as others wrote "Brandon #1" on a beam, which a crane operator hoisted to his window during the visit.

"We have some special people working on our building," says Donnie Reed, construction engineer, who oversees the project for Riley. "They understand who is inside."