Ian Rittall of Lewiston holds the stalk of a sunflower Wednesday in Tasha Vintinner's backyard in Auburn while smelling flowers his sister, Sydney, was given.
Felicia McLeod of Lewiston, left, welcomes Ian Rittall and his family of Lewiston to her home, where she had potted flowers for them. One was a sunflower to replace one Ian had been growing but lost.
Ian Rittall, his father, Devan, and mother, Katie, look Wednesday at the dying sunflower in their backyard in Lewiston. The 7-year-old was devastated to lose the plant he'd been nurturing, but people who heard about his loss stepped in and gave him sunflowers to replace it.
Felicia McLeod of Lewiston talks Wednesday about the plants she prepared for Ian Rittall and his family for their Lewiston garden. One replaces a sunflower Ian had been growing but lost. From left are McLeod, and Sydney, Ian and Katie Rittall.
Tasha Vintinner, left, and her daughter Keisha steady one of the sunflower plants they dug up as Ian Rittall adds potting soil in the Vintinners' backyard in Auburn Wednesday afternoon.
Sydney Rittall of Lewiston carries flowers given to her by Tasha Vintinner of Auburn. Sydney's brother, Ian, lost a sunflower he had been growing. When word got out on social media, people started donating sunflowers and other plants to the Rittall children.
Ian Rittall of Lewiston, back right, and his sister, Sydney, left, watch Wednesday as their mother, Katie, carries a sunflower from Tasha Vintinner's garden in Auburn. Vintinner and her daughter Keisha, background, dig up flowers from their garden to give to the Rittall children.
Tasha Vintinner steadies the stalk of a sunflower Monday in her family's garden in Auburn as Ian Rittall of Lewiston adds potting soil. The Vintinners offered sunflowers to replace one Ian Rittall was growing and lost.
Lewiston-Auburn 
