During a Jan. 2021 appearance on the Drew Barrymore Show, Carrie Underwood surprised 7-year-old Hayley Orlinsky with both a digital meetup and an act of kindness that boosted Hayley's efforts to raise money for a Chicago-area children's hospital.
When Orlinsky learned that a local children's hospital where she was hospitalized as an infant was running out of PPE early in the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, she made and sold friendship bracelets to raise at least $200 for the hospital.
Within 10 months, that planned $200 turned into over $27,000. Barrymore pledged an additional $5,000 donation on air, with Underwood and Bodyarmor (the Grammy award winner just began a partnership with the sports drink company) matching that $5,000.
"Oh my gosh! That's gonna help the hospital, and it's gonna help with vaccinations, and we are so thankful. Wow!" Hayley's mom, Lori, said of Underwood's generous donation.
Underwood praised Hayley for her big heart and her creative way to aid healthcare workers.
"You're a perfect example — it doesn't matter how old you are, where you are, whatever it is that you're into," the country music superstar told her young fan (as transcribed by ABC Digital). "You took your love of making bracelets and you used it to make the world a better place, so yay, Hayley!"
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Underwood's been on a hot streak since late fall 2020. She shared the ACM's Entertainer of the Year award with Thomas Rhett, and her first-ever Christmas album, My Gift (Capitol Records Nashville), performed well across the holiday, Christian and country charts.
A follow-up album of gospel hymn Underwood sang as a child, My Savior, will follow sometime around Easter (which falls this year on April 4).
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