Sam Allred suffers from a rare and incurable kidney disease. One day, when his sister was playing a song repeatedly, Sam sang along. His sister thought it was funny so she recorded it and posted the video online. The video -- and Sam -- became a hit. Only 8 years old at the time, he couldn't have expected the response. "(The television show) The Doctors called and wanted me on their show so they paid for me to go to California," says Sam, now 13, "and we got to stay in a hotel where all the movie stars stayed." During that visit to California, Angie Allred, Sam's mother, had an idea about Sam writing a children's book. Together, she and Sam wrote Opening Hearts, which tells Sam's experience of living with a chronic illness. "I wrote the book to teach people to be kinder to people," Sam says. Moreover, Sam wanted to send pillows to sick children staying in hospitals around the country to make their stay more comfortable, an idea that came from a time when he was in the hospital. "A few kind boys came in with pillows and they gave me one and it meant a lot to me that someone cared about kids in the hospital," says Sam. Angie thought of starting a nonprofit organization to provide a way for people to contribute money to realize Sam's ideas. She named the nonprofit Kindness for Kids. Since then, Sam has taken pillows to children staying at Providence Hospital in Anchorage. Sam's father, Scott Allred, owns a small business that contracts shipping services with FedEx Ground. He asked the company for help. "FedEx Ground learned about Sam's pillow project," says Erin Truxal, manager of public relations for FedEx Ground. "We thought, 'What a perfect way for us to get involved.'" The company provided shipping services for Sam to ship about 5,000 pillows to hospitals. Sam wants to send more pillows to all of the children's hospitals in every state. His goal is simple: "Kids in the hospital as happy as they were before they got sick," he says.
how old was sam when the video was made?
and how old is he now?
what disease does he have?
what is his mother's name?
what was her idea?
who recorded the video of Sam?
did she think it was sad?
what did she think of it?
was he surprised?
what state did they get invited to?
who wanted to start a non-profit?
what did she call it?
why did Sam say he wrote the book?
what is it about?
what is it named?
who did Scott's father ask for help?
does he sometimes work with them?
what did they help Sam ship?
to how many people?
what did he want kdis to be?
Eight
The video -- and Sam -- became a hit. Only 8 years old 
13
am, now 13
kidney disease
Sam Allred suffers from a rare and incurable kidney disease
Angie Allred
Angie Allred, Sam's mother
Sam should write a children's book
Sam's mother, had an idea about Sam writing a children's book
His sister
g. His sister thought it was funny so she recorded it and
No
His sister thought it was funny
she thought it was funny
His sister thought it was funny
Yes
Only 8 years old at the time, he couldn't have expected the response. 
California
hey paid for me to go to California
Angie
 Angie thought of starting a nonprofit organization
Kindness for Kids
She named the nonprofit Kindness for Kids
He wrote the book to teach people to be kinder to people
Sam wrote Opening Hearts, which tells Sam's experience of living with a chronic illness. "I wrote the book to teach people to be kinder to people,"
Sam's experience of living with a chronic illness
 Opening Hearts, which tells Sam's experience of living with a chronic illness
Opening Hearts
she and Sam wrote Opening Hearts
FedEx
He asked the company for help. 
Yes
 Scott Allred, owns a small business that contracts shipping services with FedEx Ground
pillows
The company provided shipping services for Sam to ship about 5,000 pillows to hospitals
5,000
 5,000 pillows
Kids in the hospital as happy as they were before they got sick
His goal is simple: "Kids in the hospital as happy as they were before they got sick