11-year-old B.C. advice book author marks birthday with fundraiser for late sister
Before we can appreciate what Felix Townsin is hoping to get for his upcoming 12th birthday, we need to go back to the home video showing the then-five-year-old opening a box-full of books.
“(It’s) not just any book,” the boy says with a smile, pulling the hardcover out for the camera to see. “(It’s) my book!”
Felix was a published advice author at five years old.
“My parents would give me topics,” the now-11-year-old explains about the writing process. “And I’d just put all the advice from that topic in the book.”
It’s titled Don’t Floss Your Toes (Before You Floss Your Teeth) and features pages filled with pre-school advice ranging from, “People will still like you if your socks don’t match,” to “Don’t climb up buildings unless you are inside,” to, “Eat your toast upside down — the toppings taste better when they touch your tongue.”
“He had a very unique and crazy perspective on life,” recalls Felix’s mom Cheryl-Lynn Townsin.
Her son also had big admiration for his little sister Lexi.
“She had a spirit that wanted to make the world a better place,” Cheryl-Lynn says.
Felix was Lexi’s biggest fan.
When the girl recorded a video to Santa saying she didn’t need him to bring her a present (“It’s good for you to take a break so you can relax”) – that she only wanted relief from the ultra-rare Blau Syndrome that was causing her debilitating and excruciating inflammation throughout her body – Felix committed to helping find a cure.
“He wanted to make everything better,” Cheryl-Lynn says. “And he had no way of doing that.”
Until, that is, he wrote that advice book as a fundraiser.
But then — two years ago — Lexi died unexpectedly.
Now, the boy is offering his book again to help others living with Blau.
“Felix is my hero,” Cheryl-Lynn says, fighting back tears. “He has shown me that I can live after a loss that I didn’t think I could live through.”
Through his website, Felix is using his book to try and raise $10,000 before his 12th birthday next week.
“I hope (Lexi) is up there and really proud of our work,” Felix says.
The website also includes a video of Lexi sitting at a piano singing, “The sun will come out tomorrow.” Felix is hoping, like the lyrics to the song, his efforts can help another family find their happy ending just “a day away.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.