10 Who Care Winner - Thomas Kral

HAMPTON, Va. - “THE MORAL TEST OF A SOCIETY IS HOW THAT SOCIETY TREATS THOSE WHO ARE IN THE DAWN OF LIFE -- THE CHILDREN; THOSE WHO ARE IN THE TWILIGHT OF LIFE -- THE ELDERLY; AND THOSE WHO ARE IN THE SHADOW OF LIFE -- THE SICK, THE NEEDY AND THE HANDICAPPED.”
--HUBERT HUMPHREY

Thanksgiving 2006: the unimaginable for any parent. That day this honoree and his wife said goodbye to their beautiful seven-year-old daughter after her battle with pancreatic cancer. During her treatment she was comforted by a dog in the CHKD Buddy Brigade pet therapy program. Following her passing, our honoree carried on his daughter’s spirit by having their pet trained and certified to join the Brigade, bringing countless smiles to children in the same situation his own daughter endured. In addition to being a foster parent – adopting two foster children, he’s active in the parents’ bereavement group at Edmarc Hospice and is fighting to secure a childhood cancer Virginia license plate to raise funds for families affected by childhood cancer.

TURNING HIS TROUBLES INTO SOLACE FOR OTHERS IS WHAT MAKES THOMAS KRAL ONE OF WAVY-TV'S 2009 TEN WHO CARE.