5-Year-Old Boy Sets Up Lemonade Stand to Raise Funds for Firefighter Who Was Shot at Applebee’s

• Cooper Wallweber, 5, set up a lemonade stand to help firefighter Arlydia Bufford, who was injured in a shooting at Applebee’s.
• His sister, Olivia, shared that she was so touched with the outpour of community support.
• They raised a total of $1,132, which they plan to give to Bufford’s mother.

More than $1,000 have been raised by 5-year-old Cooper Wallweber for 20-year-old volunteer firefighter Arlydia Bufford, who was injured in a triple shooting at an Applebee’s restaurant on Monday.

That’s all thanks to his lemonade stand, which he opened with his sister to support Bufford.

Cooper told local station KMOV, “She got shot really bad and was in the hospital.”

Cooper’s older sister, Olivia, helped set up the stand. She initially thought that they would only be outside for a few hours. But people soon flocked to their stand to help pitch in.

Olivia likened the scene to a drive-thru service. “It was non-stop,” she told KMOV.

Bufford’s fellow first responders made sure to show their support.

She shared, “We had six officers come out, two ambulances, two fire trucks, another truck as we were leaving.”

One person donated $100 without buying lemonade just to help raise funds.

Olivia shared that she was so touched that she “broke down and cried.” She added, “I didn’t know how to feel. I was just stunned. I expected maybe $100 to $200, and we ended up with over $1,000.”

The siblings have raised a total of $1,132 for Bufford, which they plan to give to her mother.

The gunman had reportedly targeted two women at a different table at the Applebee’s when Bufford was shot.

Bufford still has an arduous path ahead of her before her full recovery.

Kinloch Fire Chief Kevin Stewart told KTVI, “She’s recovering well. She is listed in critical but stable condition. She underwent a procedure last night, and the procedure went well.”

However, Bufford still can’t work, says Stewart. “No telling how long the recovery will be, she will have expenses and medical bills,” he added.

If you want to support Bufford’s family, you can donate to their GoFundMe page, which has raised just under $19,000.

Source: PEOPLE