Hospital housekeeper, 4-year-old patient become 'best friends'

Watson cleaned the boy's room every day during his stays and their friendship grew.


A housekeeper at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital has made a best friend in a 4-year-old frequent patient, according to an article on the CNN website.

Cooper Baltzell spends a lot of time in the hospital because of his Hirschsprung disease, a rare, inherited condition affecting the body's digestive system. Cooper becomes the mayor of the fifth floor during his stays and was driving a toy car down the hospital corridor, handing out candy to the staff, when he met 57-year-old Gregory Watson, a housekeeper at the Minneapolis facility.

Watson was doing a discharge when Cooper approached and asked: "Sir, do you want some candy?" 

Watson cleaned Cooper's room every day during his stays and their friendship grew. Watson said he feels it's part of his job to be friendly to the families and the children who sometimes have to endure painful procedures. He said Cooper is outgoing and always has a good attitude.  "He's the coolest kid I ever met," Watson told CNN.

The feeling is mutual. "He's my best friend," Cooper said.

Read the article.



May 3, 2019



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