Boy's hospital bed filled with Hot Wheels donated from all over the world

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A 3-year-old boy who has spent weeks in a Utah hospital dealing with severe pneumonia loves Hot Wheels.

So, of course, when word of this started circulating on social media, donations of Hot Wheels poured in from all over the world, offering comfort and healing in his time of need.

FREE APPS | NOW | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

• Mother arrested, warrants out for daughters in alleged beating caught on camera
• PHOTOS: Supermodel Gisele Bundchen announces retirement
• Production company looking for family of 'yinzers' for new reality TV show
• Police arrest naked woman after finding bong, needle in her son's toys

As a parent, you hope you never have a kid sick enough to end up at Primary Children’s Hospital. But it’s been Ethan Carnesecca’s home for the last few weeks.

“He just got pneumonia and it kept getting worse and worse,” his mother, Michele Carnesecca, said. “Our doctor said we won the worst case scenario of pneumonia.”

Young Ethan spent Easter and his third birthday with a chest tube and IV.

“He’s been poked and prodded, and had cat scans, chest x-rays and IVs,” Michele Carnesecca said.

Through it all, Michele says one thing brings her son comfort -- Hot Wheels. Even the doctors and nurses quickly caught on.

“They’re all aware of how important these cars are, so they don’t touch the pillows. They don’t take them out of his hands,” Michele said.

Before each of Ethan’s procedures, everyone knows what will keep him at peace.

“They’ll run around the hospital trying to find a car for him,” Michele said.

That isn’t necessary anymore, though. A local Hot Wheels collector and blogger heard about Ethan and decided to help.

“He said, ‘Hey, can I write a story about Ethan?’” Michele said.

The post quickly began to circulate online, and before long, tiny cars started rolling in.

“People from Malaysia and all over Europe -- it’s been pretty amazing just to see people reach out,” Ethan’s father, Chad Carnesecca, said.

Ethan’s hospital bed has started to look like a makeshift parking lot.

“He probably has a hundred cars so far,” Michele said. “It’s just been so fun to see how great people are just trying to help out and do whatever they can.”

WPXI