She spent 3 years saving for an American Girl doll. Then she gave the money away.
Desiree Mohammodi had been saving her coins for three years.
The loose change, given at the end of each day by her father, was deposited straight into the 7-year-old's piggy bank as she saved up for Luciana Vega, the popular — and expensive — American Girl astronaut doll.
But then came the coronavirus pandemic. Desiree was worried, not about herself or her family, but for the health care workers treating COVID-19 patients.
She wrote a letter to Michael Dowling, president and chief executive of Northwell Health, expressing concern that he and staff were getting the proper rest and nutrition.
And to ensure that they were eating right, Desiree, a second-grader at West Side Elementary School in Cold Spring Harbor, sent Dowling all of her money — $52.65, packed neatly inside a red toy bucket — for his staff to get a bite from the vending machine.
On Thursday, Desiree's selflessness and generosity were rewarded as Dowling handed the aspiring scientist the doll she had been dreaming of, along with Luciana's accessories and a telescope to see the stars and the moon ever so close.
"What you did was extraordinarily special," Dowling told Desiree at a socially distant news conference at Northwell's New Hyde Park offices. "So thank you."
Desiree's eyes widened with disbelief, her hands covering her mouth in shock, as she looked over the gifts.
"I want to hug you but because the sickness is going on I can't," she told Dowling before the two elbow-bumped.
Desiree read her handwritten letter, which included drawings of her holding her piggy bank, at the news conference.
"I hope you can all get a chance to take a break and use the money for a snack from the vending machine," she wrote. "I hope this brings a smile to all your faces. My mom says not all heroes wear a cape. In my pictures they do. My mom also says that God hears kids' prayers extra carefully. Today I pray the world is free from all diseases. Stay healthy Mr. Dowling. Remember to wash your hands."
Dowling called Desiree a "superhero" who deserves to be recognized. The hospital system plans to put her contribution into an emergency fund for employees impacted by the virus.
"From time to time a hero emerges from the most unexpected place and you find yourself amazed by that person's generosity and compassion," he said.
Desiree, who has a passion for astronomy, said she can't wait to put the telescope to use.
"The stars and the moon just make me want to dance, under the stars every night," she said.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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