When the Brenes family realized their 4-year-old son’s prosthetic leg had been stolen, they were devastated. Liam’s medical-grade prosthetic cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the family didn’t have that type of money available. Even a GoFundMe account couldn’t cover the full cost of a replacement. Luckily, celebrity Robert Herjavec saw a story about the family’s dilemma on television and immediately stepped in.
Herjavec did not have the easiest childhood. His father suffered political repression in Yugoslavia and moved the entire family to Canada although they did not speak any English. Herjavec worked his way through a number of minimum wage jobs before entering television production as a cameraman.
His good looks and strong work ethic soon got him out from behind the camera and propelled him to a successful career as a multimillionaire and host of Shark Tank. Perhaps his experiences as an immigrant in a poor family motivated him to help the Brenes. For his part, Mr. Herjavec downplayed his generosity, claiming he simply felt the need to help.
He’s done more than just help, though. In addition to paying for a brand new replacement prosthetic, Herjavec is sending the Brenes family to Disneyland, citing a desire to help Liam see life in a positive manner. Hopefully, this adorable little boy will be able to replace his negative memories once he meets Donald and Mickey.