Sheikh Zayed Donates $30,000 To Two American Boys For Wishing Him Well
WASHINGTON (IslamOnline) - Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, head of the state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), thanked two 11- and 9-year-old boys who wished him well while he was in Cleveland Clinic in Ohio by donating $30,000 to their school classes.
Earlier this month, the two brothers were visiting their grandmother who was being treated at the same institute and ran into the Sheikh’s entourage, finding out about his illness.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, which reported the story on Thursday, the two boys, Bobby and Billy McKim, went home and made him a handmade get well card, and sent it to him right away.
Peggy M. Ball, principal of West Elementary School, later received a call from someone claiming to work for a sheik and asking about two of her students. The person on the phone told her that the Sheikh would like to donate $15,000 to each boy’s class.
"It is a positive example of how people from different cultures and religions can find common ground and overcome barriers,'' Ball said. "In this case, the common ground is children and education.''
The boys soon became heroes in their schools, and started writing thank you notes to the generous Sheikh.
Zayed stayed in the Clinic for nearly four months and was released on Monday; he was treated for a kidney transplant and a broken hip.
The UAE is located on the Persian Gulf - also called the Arab Gulf - and is one of the wealthiest states in the world, due primarily to oil revenue.
