After selling his Pokémon card collection in order to raise funds for his puppy’s vet bills, the Pokémon Company has awarded the 8-year-old Bryson Kliemann’s selflessness by sending him a collection of rare cards. Despite being first released in 1996, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has remained consistently popular with fans both young and old, with an overwhelming resurgence in popularity in 2020, resulting in a card shortage.
The budding Pokémon fan Bryson Kliemann, from Lebanon, Virginia, first noticed his puppy Bruce’s lethargic behavior while he was organizing his Pokémon card collection. Bruce was later diagnosed with parvo, a virus that is highly contagious to dogs, and treatment for the condition totalled almost $700, which his family could not afford. In an attempt to save his puppy, Bryson set up a roadside stand to sell his card collection, with a large sign advertising “Pokémon 4 Sale.” This garnered the attention of many news outlets, and as a result, the 8-year-old was able to raise the funds required for Bruce's medical treatment.
As reported by WSLS 10, it seems that Bryson’s act of love for his puppy did not go unnoticed. The Pokémon Company has recently sent the young fan a collection of rare cards, along with a letter expressing their appreciation which read, “Hey Bryson, we were so inspired by your story about selling your cards for your dog’s recovery, these are some cards to help you replace the ones you had to sell.” Bryson was also happy to report that Bruce was back home and getting more playtime than ever, but most importantly was recovering swiftly, with a few more vaccinations planned.
Luckily, the new additions to the young Pokémon fan’s card collection will mean that he will not have to contend with scalpers to replace his collection, with many retailers recently ceasing the sale of Pokémon cards. In another act of selflessness, the additional funds raised from Bryson’s GoFundMe campaign will be donated to the medical expenses of local pets. The fundraiser began with a simple goal of just $800, but thanks to the attention garnered from news coverage worldwide, the campaign received over $5000 in donations.
The continued scarcity of Pokémon cards has caused rampant scalping for large profits, and as a result, most recent news regarding the trading card game has been sadly negative. It is a heart warming change of pace to hear a Pokémon fan use the cards for a good cause.
Source: WSLS 10