You know, there are some really amazing people in this great big world. Take for instance Jim Cummings. Most of you would probably never have heard of this man, but there’s a good chance that you have heard his voice. Can’t think of it yet? Jim Cummings provides the voice of Winnie the Pooh, as well as Tigger since 2000. Now being a voice actor for a popular children’s character is pretty cool, I’ll admit that, but it’s what this man does with his talent that is so amazingly beautiful. The voice of Winnie the Pooh calls sick children in hospital in character. I told you he was amazing, but what about the reactions of the sick kids? What do they think of a call from the man who voices their favorite characters?
So Jim Cummings, the voice of Winnie the Pooh, calls sick children in hospital in character. While it is pretty amazing that he gives back to community, it’s the reaction from the sick kids that is something special. It is after all not that uncommon for celebrities to see unwell fans. Many sporting stars, and even some A list celebrities will cherish the opportunity for some positive publicity. While there’s no doubt that the celebrities do have a profound impact on the children in the hospital, sometimes you have to wonder if they are doing ot for the fans, or their own personal image. That’s what makes Jim so different. There are no cameras, and there’s no fanfare. He just phones the hospital in character to make the children fell a little less miserable.
But without a doubt it is the response from both the sick kids and the parents that is most appreciated. One child who suffered from autism got a call from Cummings one day and spoke in both the voices of Pooh and Tigger. The boy asked him to impersonate the other voices from the show, voices that he has never even tried before. He did his best, and the boy was very happy, but not as happy as his mother. The boys mother spoke to Cummings and let him know exactly how she felt. To say that she was overjoyed would be an understatement. Through a torrent of tears she let Jim Cummings know that her son had never spoken before the call, and the two had just spent an hour talking together. In another notable call, he spoke to a young child dying of cancer. During the call he managed to make the kid smile, something that the sick kid had not done for a very long time. It apparently made the mother cry.
Some people become famous, or take on famous roles and behave as though the world owes them. Others return to the world in ways that can not ever be measured. Jim Cummings is one such man. Well done Jim, you’re one in a billion.
SOURCES
- Winnie The Pooh Is Calling For You
- Ultimate Guide to Winnie the Pooh
- Voice actor calls children at the hospital
