Moved by his personal experiences, lifelong Philadelphia native Eric Wyatt founded Burden the Bear to remind those facing grief, illness, or isolation that they are not alone, writes Holly Quinn for Technical.ly.
Wyatt, whose life was upended by a near-fatal car accident a decade ago that left him unable to continue working in construction, often found himself reflecting on his mother’s battle with lung cancer.
“She always said she felt like a burden to her family, and that kind of stuck with me,” said Wyatt. “Parents shouldn’t feel that way, especially because of an illness.”
He got the idea to create a tangible symbol of support that would always stay with the patient, a gift to let them know they are not a burden.
Inspired by the phrase “bear a burden,” he created Burden the Bear. Launched during the pandemic, the one-man company partners with nonprofits to deliver comfort to patients. Despite setbacks, including tariffs, Wyatt remains focused on local funding, sponsorship, and getting as many bears as possible into the hands of those who need them.
“I figure if I can donate 5,000 bears a year, that would be a great accomplishment,” he said.
Read more about Burden the Bear and how it promotes support in Technical.ly.
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