Schoolkids buy ill classmate robot to come to school

Tyler Knurek, 13, would love nothing more than to be in school with his friends. Tyler has cancer (Hodgkin's lymphoma) and has been undergoing treatments since December. But his friends and classmates found a way for Tyler to be in school without physically being there.

Students at St. Bartholomew's in East Brunswick, New Jersey, came up with the idea of raising money to buy a robot called VGo. Using his iPad at home, Tyler can maneuver the robot at school. He can also see and hear his classmates and teachers. And they can see and hear him.

And using the robot, Tyler is also able to go on every class trip whether it's to see a high school production of "Shrek" or visiting the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. He said the robot helps him feel like he is a part of his classmates and teachers.

Now keep in mind that the parents and teachers didn't decide to raise money to buy the robot. Rather, the 12- and 13-year-old children did. Most of these kids have been together since pre-K and it broke their hearts their friend, Tyler, felt isolated and alone.

Grace Brautigan came up with the idea to design prayer cards and sell them. Elizabeth Romage and Samantha Bell did the artwork. Tyler's 7th-grade class wrote the prayers to heal their friend: 'Dear God, please help our friend Tyler. He is a great friend and an even greater person."

Tyler's best friends and the rest of the students got to work and were able to raise $8,000 in just two weeks.

The students now begin every day reciting the prayer that they wrote for Tyler. And these children are constantly thinking of new ways to make Tyler's day better. They recently bought him an iPod Shuffle and downloaded songs that are happy and fun. They have gone above and beyond showing that when your heart is filled with love anything is possible.

Tyler and his family are hoping he will be able to go back to school in September.