LONG LAKE, Minn. — Well wishes, prayers and pizza are being served up at Carbone's Pizzeria in Long Lake, all in the name of love and support for 10-year-old Gavin Doherty.
"Everybody's really doing a lot to help out the family and we just want to be a little piece of that," said Carbone's Pizzaria Owner, Neil Heinen.
Gavin has been in the hospital at Children's Minnesota since Jan. 20, after suffering from complications of not only the influenza b virus, but also the H1N1 flu virus and pneumonia.
Not long after he was admitted to the hospital Gavin's mother Deanna Doherty said via her son's Caring Bridge profile, his condition got a lot worse.
Doctors decided to put him into a medically induced coma for 6 days while he was fighting for his life.
"You kinda get a pit in your stomach when you think about the kid, with the type of illness that he has," said Heinen. "Anybody is vulnerable to this and especially kids."
According to the CDC, 140,000 people have been hospitalized nationwide this flu season with half of them being children.
In Minnesota, 36 people have died since October including one child, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
"It just touches you close to home especially if you have kids," said Heinen's wife Sigrid.
As a charitable gesture, Carbone's Pizzaria in Long Lake is collecting donations until Feb. 14, to help support Gavin.
Once someone donates, they're given a paper heart to write a well wish to Gavin which will be given to him on Valentine's Day.
So far, they've raised $3,000 in doing so.
"We just tell them Gavin's story, you know we just ask if they're interested in you know donating to the cause," said Heinen.
Those meaningful heartfelt gestures are touching hearts while helping save a life.
"They just want to help out because that's Minnesota ... small town Minnesota and it's fantastic," said Heinen.
The Doherty family said they are grateful for the outpouring of support as Gavin has a long road of recovery ahead.
A Go Fund Me page has been setup in Gavin's name.