The Day I Read to Kids in Wheelchairs

As a first time author and new to the industry,  I’ve been fortunate to do book signings, author visits, pop-ups, and school events. I have watched children jump at the idea of Santa using cookie dough for bait and each of these experiences have been very meaningful.  An extra special day, though, was the one I spent at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Jan. 2026.

How It Came Together
It started, like so many things in business, with a phone call and some hope.    
I reached out to Eric LeGrand first. For those who don't know Eric's story, he is a former Rutgers University football player who was paralyzed from the neck down during a game in 2010. Rather than letting that define him, Eric went on to open businesses, inspire thousands, and founded Team LeGrand — a cause dedicated to supporting the over six million people living with paralysis and funding spinal cord injury research.

Eric is also one of the many reasons Beach Santa exists. His story of resilience and generosity lit something in me when I was writing the book, and I modeled one of the characters after him — with his blessing.  So, when I had the idea to bring Beach Santa to the children at Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Eric was my first call. He said yes.  From there, I emailed the director and I hand delivered a copy of the book.  Then I sent a follow-up email, copied Eric and the hospital administrator, and made it easy for everyone to say yes.
They did.

The Day Itself
I won't pretend I knew exactly what to expect walking into that hospital in January. I am a mom of three and an athletic trainer and I have spent many hours in hospitals.   I thought I was prepared.  I wasn’t. 
The children came in — some in wheelchairs, some accompanied by nurses, some with parents hovering close by with the particular quiet tenderness that only a hospital parent knows. They settled in, and I told the “story behind the story” and how Eric opening a coffee shop lit a fire under me to do something.  Then Eric and I began to read.
If you have never watched a room full of hospitalized children listen to a story about a character who chooses kindness, even when no one is watching — I hope you get the chance someday. There is something that happens in a room like that. The story lands differently. The message of generosity and ripple effects of kindness isn't abstract anymore. It is alive in that room, in those faces.
But the moment that will stay with me came after the reading.
We handed out shells and set up the painting supplies. And then Eric and I began to move around the room together — stopping at each child, leaning in, commenting on their artwork, marveling at what they were creating.
Watching those children connect with Eric was special.  Here is a man who cannot move his hands, encouraging others to make something beautiful and not one of those kids saw limitations when they looked at him. They saw someone who showed up for them. Someone who thought they were worth his time.

What It Taught Me
I started writing Beach Santa because I believed in the power of a story. I believed that a book about a generous Santa — one who gives even when he doesn't have to, could plant a seed in a child's heart.
That day at Children's Specialized Hospital, I watched those seeds sprout in real time.
The craft set — the shells, the paint, the simple act of making something with your hands — became something I had never anticipated. It became therapy. It became joy. It became a bridge between a child in a hospital bed and a feeling of normalcy, creativity, and pride.
The Beach Santa craft set was designed as a gift. But in January, I learned it is also something more. It is an experience.
I drove home that evening praying for those children and their caregivers.  Hoping and thinking that if I can find some sponsors, I can offer this to children in hospitals across this country who might benefit from an afternoon like that one. A story. A shell. A moment of pure, uncomplicated ease.
That thought has not left me.
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What Comes Next
If you are a Child Life Specialist, a hospital administrator, a foundation director, or anyone who works to bring joy to children in medical settings — I would love to talk to you.  You can reach me at [email protected] or visit mbparadise.com to learn more about Beach Santa, the craft set, and our mission with Team LeGrand.

**Out of respect for the patients and their families, I did not take any photos. However, the of the wonderful team at Children's Specialized Hospital did, so you can see photos from this special day on my Instagram @mbparadiseauthor — posted January 9th, 2026.
 

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