GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Saturday night, the lobby at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital was transformed into an intergalactic space.
About 150 people were attending the Mary Free Bed Kids Heroes bash, and they dressed up as their favorite Star Wars characters.
At the event, kids were welcomed with a red carpet entrance under the legs of a AT-AT from the battle of Hoth. Guests also chose between the light side or the dark side of the force.
Chewbacca, storm troopers, Princess Leia, and Rey were also in attendance.
The heroes bash was created to do more for the families who are served by the hospital, said Penny Adams the in-patient pediatric therapy team leader.
"Some of the families that we come into contact with are going through the most devastating times of their life," said Adams. "Those are really emotional roller coaster things that happen. As a result of those things, we form really close bonds to some of these children and their families. We get to know all about their lives, other challenges that they are facing as a result...after hearing that a lot, you want to do something to help them."
This is the second year of the event.
Former Mary Free Bed patients were in attendance, sharing their stories of success. One of those was Blaec Anderson who was in a car accident in 2007, which put him in a three month coma.
"I woke up here in the beginning of October of 2007 and I didn't know where I was," he said. "I didn't know what had happened, and I could barely even walk. Looking at myself today, 12 years later, I would have never even guessed I could be at this spot right now."
Anderson encouraged the people attending the bash that they can achieve their goals if they keep working at it.
"Mary Free Bed was an extraordinary part of that," he said.
Other stories on 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.