6-year-old donates birthday money to Rowlett tornado victims

ROWLETT, Texas - A small, compassionate kindergartener with a big heart from Rowlett touched many hearts after donating her birthday and tooth fairy money to help tornado victims.

On the way to school every morning, 6-year-old Michelle Morton sees how much is still left to be done after a tornado ripped through Rowlett in 2015. Her mom says she often prays for the people still not back in their homes and just recently decided to do even more.Rowlett in 2015. Her mom says she often prays for the people still not back in their homes and just recently decided to do even more.

In Michelle’s make-believe world, anything is possible. All of her dolls are friends, and they all have a home to go to. But that's not always the case in real life.

“She says, ‘Mommy, there's still people that don’t have their houses?’” explained her mom, Sharona Johnson. “And I said, ‘Yeah, there's still people.’”

And so fresh off a sixth birthday and multiple visits from the tooth fairy, Michelle asked her mom if she could donate every dollar she had.

So the young girl, who reminded us she reads at a second-grade level, wrote a touching note with her cash donation of $50 and sent it to Rowlett Strong, a non-profit organized to help the city’s tornado victims.

“My name is Michelle Morton,” she wrote. “I am sorry that your house is gone from a tornado. I hope that you get another house. I want to give you all of my money from my birthday and from the tooth fairy. Love: Michelle.”

Steve Walker was the one who received the donation on behalf of the non-profit. He said he knew he had something special.

“I started to tear up a little bit, and I actually did later on,” he admitted. “It was just very touching.”

Walker told the mayor, who wanted to meet Michelle and thank her in person for her donation.

“Why'd you give it all away?” FOX4 reporter Diana Zoga asked the 6-year-old.

“Because I wanted to,” she said. “I could lose some more teeth.”

Sharona believes her daughter was born with a gift of compassion way beyond her six years.

“She's always been caring,” she said. “She's always been wanting to help people and just concerned about other people.

The 6-year-old said she was in the market for some new Barbies but decided to donate her $50 instead. And while it was the most money she’s ever saved, she says she doesn’t miss the money at all.