The Pickett siblings, Adyn, 8, and Abby, 7, drop off a portion of the 1,800 toys they collected as part of their second “Lego'cy Holiday Toy Drive” to Golisano Children's Hospital in Fort Myers on Monday. Adyn has been battling leukemia since 2016 and his sister Abby was a bone marrow donor. PHOTO PROVIDED

cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com

Paying it forward during the holidays is always a generous gesture, but a Cape Coral 7- and 8-year-old sister-brother duo go above and beyond.

Adyn and Abby Pickett’s “Lego’cy Holiday Toy Drive” raised 1,800 toys for young patients at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Fort Myers and John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

In August, Adyn began his fourth round of treatment for leukemia at All Children’s. His family recently found out that Adyn’s cancer had returned for a third time. He was originally diagnosed when he was 4 in December of 2016.

After Adyn’s first relapse, Abby (then 6-years-old) helped her brother in the most unselfish and brave way she could — she became a bone marrow donor.

This is the second year the pair have collected toys for children in hospitals, knowing first hand what it’s like to spend this special time of year at a medical facility.

“Throughout the last several years, we’ve spent multiple holidays — including Christmas — in the hospital,” said Adyn and Abby’s father James. “When we did, one of the best things that happens to the kids during that time is for them to be receiving gifts on Christmas Day from Santa Claus visiting the rooms.”

Last year was one of the first spent outside of the hospital for the Picketts, so they decided they wanted to do something special. Their goal was to raise more gifts than last year to be able to spread as much holiday cheer as possible to those spending the holiday away from home.

Safe to say they succeeded.

“After all he has been through, Adyn still found the generosity and kindness to give back to others,” said Lee Health officials in a release.

The Picketts make sure to spread the wealth.

“We always split them between (the two hospitals),” James said.

With the help from social media, generous donors and local businesses, Adyn and Abby were able to collect nearly 2,000 gifts over the last month and a half. They even set up an Amazon wish list (to help with in-person donations during a pandemic) that saw contributions from across the country.

“Toys make a huge difference for these kids,” said their mother Erica. “Not just that day, but every day moving forward. It keeps them busy when they are living within these four walls.”

Adyn and Abby dropped off their trove of toys to Golisano on Monday. The toys are currently in storage for sanitation purposes before being distributed.

James said his children get enthusiastic about their fundraising and have the insight to realize their impact despite their youth.

“Even at 7 and 8, they understand the feeling it is to receive them and even more so now the feeling to be able to give them as well,” he said.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj