Seth Bayles is Simply Amazing!

Jan 2, 2015

Seth Bayles outside Ronald McDonald House with pop tabs

Seth Bayles collected enough pop tabs to fill a U-Haul trailer, then delivered them to the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, Minn.

BRISTOL, Wisc.—Seth Bayles has an autoimmune disease so rare that he’s the only person in the U.S. known to have it. But that’s far down the list of things that make him unique and extraordinary.

Bayles, 14, is the son of Don and Julie Bayles, owners of Benson Corners and U-Haul Dealership. His treatments for the disease include frequent trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., more than 300 miles away. That means frequent stays for him and his family at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Rochester, so much so that it’s become a home-away-from-home for them.

“It’s a place for us to stay when I go for treatment at Mayo Clinic,” Seth noted. “It’s not like a hotel; it’s better. They treat you like a king!”

After getting so much from the RMH, Seth wanted to do something to give back. So he decided to start collecting pop can tabs to donate to the RMH, which earns money from recycling the tabs. Neither Seth nor his family could have imagined the response that followed. Students and parents at Seth’s school heard about his efforts and wanted to help, so Julie sent 700 Ziploc bags to the school, which sent them home with students.

“We got back buckets filled with pop tabs!” Julie exclaimed. “Once Seth started seeing them come in, he realized the difference he was making.”

Seth Bayles and principal Gale Ryczek with barrel full of pop tabs

Donations poured in from all over, including this barrel full of pop tabs secured by Seth’s school principal, Gale Ryczek.

Local newspapers and TV stations took notice of Seth’s efforts, and word spread like wildfire. Soon, Don and Julie were getting calls from the post office saying there were a lot of boxes arriving that wouldn’t fit in their post office box.

“They were coming from complete strangers,” Julie mentioned. “One man we’d never met wrote a letter that said he’d been collecting pop tabs for 15 years and was waiting for the right person or cause to donate them to. He decided to give them to Seth.”

Within a few months, Seth had collected enough pop tabs to fill a U-Haul trailer. In June, Julie and Seth made the trip to Rochester to deliver them to the RMH. The pop tab collections didn’t end there, though. In the months that followed the initial delivery in June, Seth collected a lot more. He and his mom made three trips to the RMH in October, and each time they dropped off an SUV full of pop tabs.

“I could not have imagined having that many pop tabs,” Seth declared. “It’s amazing that people heard about me and then wanted to collect them.”

Seth’s selfless attitude has earned him quite a bit of praise, along with several accolades. He’s been named Junior Outstanding Citizen for the town of Bristol, an award that allowed him to ride in a local parade, and people around town call him “Pop Tab Seth.” Allow us to add another name for him: Amazing!

To learn more about Seth and his condition, watch the video below or visit his Facebook page.

To learn more about the RMH, go to RMHC.org.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPb5YZ3Su44?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

More articles like this one…

What’s New

Community Spirit: U-Haul Volunteers Help at André House

Community Spirit: U-Haul Volunteers Help at André House

Over half a million people face food insecurity in Maricopa County. Local nonprofits work daily to address this ongoing concern, but could not service those in need with the commitment of community and business members who choose to step up and help. U-Haul...

U-Haul Volunteers Gain Satisfaction from Service at St. Mary’s

U-Haul Volunteers Gain Satisfaction from Service at St. Mary’s

U-Haul® volunteers recently helped St. Mary’s Food Bank put a fresh spin on its mission to provide food for people in need across Arizona. Thanks to St. Mary’s partnership with meal-kit company HelloFresh®, people facing food insecurity can now receive both an...

Texas Panhandle Wildfires: U-Haul Offering 30 Days Free Storage

Texas Panhandle Wildfires: U-Haul Offering 30 Days Free Storage

U-Haul® is offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box® container usage to residents impacted by the wildfires across the Texas panhandle. The Smokehouse Creek Fire started on Monday and has burned more than 1 million acres. It’s the largest in the state’s...

U-Haul and ACS Join Forces in Climb to Conquer Cancer

U-Haul and ACS Join Forces in Climb to Conquer Cancer

The Climb to Conquer Cancer of Phoenix is the American Cancer Society’s largest single-day climb event in the world. Every February in Arizona, thousands of cancer survivors, family members, caregivers and supporters participate in the Climb to Conquer Cancer. U-Haul...

U-Haul, Tribute Journey Spread Valentine’s Day Love to Veterans

U-Haul, Tribute Journey Spread Valentine’s Day Love to Veterans

February 14 is not just Valentine's Day. It is recognized as a National Salute to Veteran Patients day. During Valentine's Day week each year, U-Haul and the Tribute Journey say “thank you” to veterans of the U.S. Armed Services who are cared for in Department of...

U-Haul International Moves with U-Box Makes Moving Abroad Easy

U-Haul International Moves with U-Box Makes Moving Abroad Easy

Every new year invites new adventures. If your 2024 adventures include moving abroad, U-Haul International Moves® is equipped and licensed to support your exciting transition each step of the way. The U-Haul® brand is known globally for empowering do-it-yourself...

U-Haul Helps Kurt Warner Charity Change Lives of Arizona Family

U-Haul Helps Kurt Warner Charity Change Lives of Arizona Family

When Luz decided to apply for Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona’s Homeownership Program, she had no idea just how much of an impact it would have on her son, Jason. The family met Habitat’s criteria and completed more than 400 hours of “sweat equity” by working...

U-Haul Recognizes Its 2023 Volunteers of the Year

U-Haul Recognizes Its 2023 Volunteers of the Year

TEMPE, Ariz. — Michelle Vukov-Mikel and Michele Ramirez have been honored as the U-Haul® Volunteers of the Year for 2023. At the end of each year, U-Haul recognizes the Team Member(s) who has volunteered the most hours, supported the greatest number of U-Haul charity...