Wakefield Boy Donates Toys To Stoneham Fire Department For Kids Suffering From Trauma

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STONEHAM (CBS) -- A nine-year-old boy from Wakefield made a big donation to the Stoneham Fire Department this week to help kids who are going through traumatic experiences.

Darius Noonan donated 40 Trouble the Dog plush toys to the Stoneham Fire Department with the hope that they are given to kids who've suffered from trauma.

Darius was adopted by Kevin and Maria Noonan, and said he had experienced trauma while he was in foster care. While he was there, someone gave him a Trouble the Dog toy.

"That was like his security blanket," Kevin Noonan said. "Then one day we were just sitting around and he said 'Mom and Dad, I want to be able to give other kids -- if they're having a bad day -- one of these dogs."

Darius Noonan (third from right) donated dozens of dog toys to the Stoneham Fire Department so that members may distribute them to children they encounter while responding to emergencies. (Photo Credit: Stoneham Fire Department)

The toys were designed by Sheila Duncan in 2006. She created them after losing several family members and a family dog in a short span of time. Her hope was to help comfort kids going through a tough time.

The Noonans have embarked on a two-year mission to raise money to buy plush toys and give them to kids in the area.

They have raised over $10,000 to buy and distribute the toys. They have given them to local police and fire departments, along with the Department of Children and Families.

The Stoneham Fire Department plans to give the pets to kids who experience trauma in car accidents and other incidents.

To learn more about Trouble the Dog, click here. To donate to Darius's cause, his Venmo is @dsnoonan12.