Erika Scott, the softball coach at Aldine MacArthur High School in Houston, Texas, has launched an annual toy drive in honor of her late son, Beau Scott, who tragically lost his battle with leukemia at just nine months old. The Beau Strong Toy Drive aims to support families grappling with the challenges of pediatric cancer treatment during the holiday season.
Three years ago, Erika received the devastating news of her son’s diagnosis. She stepped away from her coaching duties for four months to be by Beau’s side at Texas Children’s Hospital, where he underwent cancer treatment. “You have to be strong because you have kids who are depending on you,” she recalled. “I was laser-focused on the treatment, and I had stopped working, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off a Christmas for my kids.” With the assistance of hospital staff and local nonprofits, Erika was able to secure gifts for her family during that difficult time.
Sadly, Beau passed away just three days after Christmas in December 2020. This loss fueled Erika’s desire to give back to families facing similar hardships. “The cost of cancer treatment can really burden a family,” she noted. “It’s a relief because you have so much on your plate.”
The Aldine MacArthur softball team, along with the broader Aldine ISD community, rallied together to gather toys for the drive. Erika emphasized the importance of teamwork, saying, “Well, we have a lot of elves around here. It really is teamwork, and I’m a coach, so I got my whistle.”
In a show of community spirit, former Houston Texans player Mister Alexander and his organization, Missing Element, also participated by collecting toys for the drive. Magic Robinson, the owner of Missing Element, expressed gratitude to their community, stating, “Shoutout to our community. We really want to thank our Missing Element community.”
The collected toys were delivered by bus directly to Texas Children’s Hospital, illustrating the overwhelming generosity of those involved. “The generosity is oftentimes overwhelming,” Erika commented, her emotions evident.
Reflecting on her son’s brief life, Erika referred to him as “Beau the Messenger,” suggesting that his purpose was to bring awareness and help to others. She concluded, “Giving back is really where Beau Strong comes from, which is helping those families. Eventually, we can do more for the families at Texas Children’s, because so much was done for my family.”
Through the Beau Strong Toy Drive, Erika Scott continues to honor her son’s memory while providing vital support to families in need during one of the most challenging times of their lives.
