Walmart Heart, a Walmart truck driver-driven group, hosted a convoy and party event on June 8 to celebrate Freya Thompson, an Owensville girl who suffers from neuroblastoma cancer.

“That was one of the biggest Heart events that has ever been done,” said Johnnie Tillman, the event planner.

Tillman attributes some of the large attendance numbers to the fact that the event happened on a weekday instead of a weekend.

“Thursday was the mom’s day off,” Tillman said. “It doesn’t make sense to do an event to help the family if it costs them money in the long run.”

The weekday event brought more drivers.

“Usually our drivers work Monday through Friday,” he said. “This (Heart event) was during the week and many of the guys went out of their way to show up.”

Everyone met at the city of Belle commuter parking lot, including 11 trucks, including the St. James Distribution Center’s own Walmart Heart trailer with pictures of local kids who have been honored by the Heart program.

“The trailer is a traveling monument,” Tillman said. “One of the girls on the right side of the trailer, she passed on. “Jack, our first Walmart Heart adoptee is on the back of every trailer. All the local children are on the trailer.”

The convoy also included Owensville and Belle emergency vehicles.

Freya, who is battling cancer in her chest cavity, was honored as a Walmart truck driver for the day and presented with gifts from the drivers. She rode in the semi-truck from Belle to Owensville, escorted out of Belle city limits and to the Maries County line by Marshal Jerry Coborn. Gasconade County Sheriff’s Department picked up the escort at the Gasconade County line until the city limits of Owensville where Chief Scott Griffith picked up the escort to lead them into the Owensville Walmart on Highway 28. “There was plenty of room for everyone to park at the store,” Lawson said.

Ken Nelson of Owensville, a recent Walmart truck driver retiree and one of the originators of Walmart Heart was present at Freya’s convoy. It was Nelson who recommended Freya be given a special day to the Heart Fleet.

“The way I found her, the Lord just puts them in front of me sometimes,” Nelson said. “I’m not really looking for a child to do an event, and then there they are.”

Nelson said he saw a flier at a local restaurant advertising a fund-raising event for Freya that was being hosted by Tasha Krogmeier, Freya’s aunt.

“I saw Freya had neuroblastoma and sent Tasha a message on Facebook,” Nelson said. “Tasha sent it to Freya’s mom.”

Nelson passed along Freya’s information to Walmart Heart and Tillman.

“We decided to start in Belle to give her a memorable truck ride,” Nelson said. “We’ve done more than 100 events out of St. James in the past 10 years.”

The drivers gifted Freya with a blanket, a Wednesday Adams doll, heart trinkets such as a necklace and bracelet, a flashlight, beanie, and even a Walmart truck.

“This is a driver-driven program supported by Walmart,” Nelson said. “It’s been going since the 90s and nationally they have had the honor of doing this for thousands of kids over the years.”

Nelson said the best parts are the children.

“The power these events have on a child,” Nelson began. “They feel special for a day.”