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Students Volunteer in Name of Classmate

PARAGOULD, AR (KAIT) -- The senior class of student nurses at Arkansas State University spent the day on Thursday getting a boost of holiday cheer.  Less than a month ago one of their own, 37-year-old Richard Lemmons died of a massive heart attack, now they are honoring him by doing something he would have loved to do.

"This would've been Richard's best clinical assignment.  This would've meant the world to Richard.  If he had to pick anything to do he would've picked this project," said Tiffany Anderson.

The 38 students in the senior nursing class spent their Thursday morning wrapping presents at the Children's Home in Paragould for the kids that live there.

"He wanted to be a pediatric nurse and was really into wanting to help with the children," said Melanie Coble.

Even as the nursing students wrapped presents they kept wishing they had Richard with them.

"We missed him today because we needed scissors, we needed tape and boxes and everybody was asking, ‘Where's Richard?'  Richard would've had everything ready and organized and nobody would've had to look lost," said Anderson.

The Children's Home said each donated hour is worth about $14, and having the gifts wrapped for them will save the house parents a lot of time.