The typical 7-year-old boy expects the world on his birthday, which usually consists of mountains of candy, video games and toys.
Good thing Aidan Ortiz is anything but typical.
The soon-to-be 8-year old from Parkland has a very simple wish list for his birthday, but it requires him to do the giving.
Ortiz wants to give clean water to people who don't have it.
And to make it happen, the philanthropist in training told his mom not to get him any gifts, but instead, to use that money to donate whatever cash they would have spent on a party, cake, balloons and presents toward his pure goal.
“Water’s more important than toys,” said the second grader at Park Trails Elementary School. “I saw people not having good water and they were walking miles and miles and hours for getting dirty water that makes them sick.”
Ortiz got the idea after recently watching a documentary with his mom about families in Africa forced to live and drink contaminated water. But he didn't bring his idea up until the family was having dinner last week, which shocked his mom, who was planning something big for her son.
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Ortiz's idea seemed a bit bigger.
"I don't want kids to die," he told his mom.
But his thirst for clean water for others has reached beyond his home.
Ortiz has asked friends, teachers and strangers to donate to the organization, Charity Water, through his web page. Any gifts he receives for his birthday, which is Feb. 2, Ortiz plans to donate or trade in to help the cause.
“I asked him how much do you want to raise and he said five million,” Ortiz's mom, Jennifer, said. “I don’t think that’s an option on the site. I tried to type it in, it didn’t work.”
After receiving a little family advice, Ortiz scaled down his ambitions for a more modest goal to raise $800 worth of clean water for families who don’t have it. He’s already reached $750.
“Since he’s turning eight, everybody gives $8 instead of a present to him,” Jennifer said.
But Ortiz doesn't plan on stopping the flood of donations after his birthday.
“If I get $5,000, then I make a well for people to get water out of,” Ortiz explained. “I will feel happy and proud of myself.”
Now that's refreshing.
To help Aidan donate fresh water to families, go to http://mycharitywater.org/AidanOrtiz.
Follow Julia Bagg on Twitter at @juliabagg.
