A chance meeting at a locksmith's store in Wasilla led to an unexpected gift for the Children's Hospital at Providence, in a Wasilla's girl's memory.

Lindy Gregory was helping a customer at Neil's Lock and Safe, which her husband owns. The customer happened to notice some information on the store's counter about "Brianna's Hope," which is jewelry Gregory makes and sells, with the money going to the Children's Hospital to provide resources and activities for children in the hospital's teen room.

"We started talking about it, and I told him about Brianna and what we were trying to do at the hospital," Gregory said. "One thing led to another."

From left, Suzanne Rudolph of The Children's Miracle Network, Nick Williams of Williams Communications, Lindy Gregory and David McDonald of Williams Communications show off the three Dell laptops that were donated so children with life-threatening illnesses can chat with similar children around the country. Submitted photo

Brianna is Gregory's daughter, who passed away June 11, 2003 after a lengthy battle with cystic fibrosis. The young girl was exuberant throughout her life, and touched the lives of many. Her mother has continued Brianna's legacy through her work at the hospital.

During the conversation with the customer, Gregory mentioned that they had already installed a big-screen TV in the teen room, and that a new computer system was up and running. The customer, who turned out to be Nick Williams of Williams Communication, asked if Gregory had all the computers she needed for the project.

"I said we had all the computers for the teen room, but we were hoping to get some laptop computers for kids who can't leave their rooms and go to the teen room. He just said he would take care of it," she said.

Less than a week later, three Dell laptop computers, complete with "all the bells and whistles," were donated by Williams Communication, in conjunction with GCI, to the Children's Hospital of Providence, in Brianna's memory.

The computers will be used to access the Starbright World program, which allows children staying at children's hospitals around the country to chat online with each other. Brianna used the system while staying at Stanford Children's Hospital in California, and Gregory wanted to get the system up and running at Providence, to give Alaskans a chance to use the system.

"They get to go online and be kids, doing what kids do," Gregory said.

The program is in operation at Providence, thanks to Gregory's continued commitment to raising funds for the hospital's teen room. The laptop computers will allow children to access to the Starbright World program from their rooms, in case they can't join others in the teen room, Gregory said.

Starbright World links children with life-threatening illnesses together in an online community, where they can share just about anything - just like an enormous chat room for children.

"I think the reason I love Starbright World most is because it gives me a chance to meet others and share experiences that no one else in my life has ever been able to understand. I feel like Starbright World has also given me a great deal of gratitude towards my life, and how I live it. I was born with a disease that affects my intestines. I now think if you were born with your disease you are very lucky, because you are used to the hassles you have to live with. I cannot imagine being a perfectly healthy kid and suddenly be stricken with a disease, as many of my friends here on Starbright World have been. For that I give them great respect, they cope better than I could have ever done," wrote one user on the Starbright World informational Web site.