Some kids just have the biggest hearts, and that holds true to 11-year-old Leah Mihaly from the Rochester area.

During the peaks of the pandemic, nursing homes were closed for visitors, so Leah used the time to make a new friend at Buffalo's HighPointe on Michigan facility. She joined a pen pal program and was connected to Thelma Haskins, a long term resident in the facility.

According to WHAM, Leah says she wanted to reach out at a time when the pandemic has prevented residents like Haskins from seeing loved ones. Leah began writing to Thelma. Something about the two of them, despite their difference in age, clicked, and the two became great friends.

"It made me feel really good when I was in the process of writing to her because I feel like she’s my friend, like I actually know her in real life," Leah told WHAM.

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The two exchanged letters, getting to know each other, back and forth for several weeks. They shared information about themselves, what they liked, and shared some laughs and smiles in the process.

Last week, the two finally had the opportunity to speak to each other. Not by pen and paper like they were used to, but over a Zoom call.

"It made me excited because I knew Thelma can’t see her family right now and that my writing to her made her feel special. It made me feel really good, too," Leah said.

Leah told WHAM she has no intentions of stopping the letters to her new friend.

READ MORE: Inspiring Stories From the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

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