SENSELESS CRIME.
>> I CAN HEAR HIM MOM I CANNOT
SEE.
GET DOWN.
I CANNOT GET DOWN AND HE WAS
COVERED IN BLOOD.
>> Anchor: LOST HIS EYE IN A
DRIVE-BY SHOOTING AND GUNMAN
LIFE.
>> SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DONOVAN LYALLS
YOUNG LIFE.
>> Anchor: A CHANCE MEETING
WITH OUR HANK WINCHESTER AT THE
SCHOOL THAT WE AT LOCAL 4
ADOPTED THAT HELPED DONOVAN PUT
THE PAST BEHIND HIM.
HANK SHARES DONOVAN'S STORY.
INFECTIOUS.
HIS SPIRIT ENDURING.
AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DONOVAN
LYALLS LIGHTS UP WHATEVER SPACE
HE ENTERS.
I LEARNED THAT FIRST DAY I MET
HIM AS I VISITED THE SCHOOL
THURGOOD MARSHALL.
SUBJECT?
>> HOMEWORK.
>> Reporter: AT THE TIME WE
WERE ON A MISSION TO TRANSFORM
THE LOOK OF THIS SCHOOL.
AND WE DID.
AND I COULDN'T STOP THINKING
ABOUT DONOVAN.
STORY.
I KNEW WE HAD TO HELP.
HOSPITAL.
HOWEVER HE LOST AN EYE.
>> Reporter: DRIVE-BY SHOOTING
AT THE FAMILY HOME OLWINCHESTER
STREET, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
JANUARY 27 OF 2015.
AND HE WAS FIVE.
HOSPITAL.
THE PATCH COVERING THE SCAR.
WILL NEVER FORGET.
>> I COULD HEAR HIM SAYING MOM I
CAN'T SEE.
NO GET DOWN.
I CANNOT SEE.
WHEN I WENT IN THE LIVING ROOM
HE WAS COVERED IN BLOOD.
UP.
YEAH.
>> IT FELT LIKE HOUSE -- IT FELT
LIKE IT WAS A EARTHQUAKE.
>> Reporter: THAT ONE ACT OF
VIOLENCE TOOK DONOVAN'S EYE BUT
DID NOT CRUSH HIS SPIRIT.
>> HONEST IT IS ALMOST LIKE IT
WAS HARDER ON ME THAN HIM.
NEXT DAY HE W DOWN AT THE
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GYM PLAYING
AND I AM LIKE LAYING THERE
LOOKING AT HIM.
>> Reporter: AT SCHOOL DONOVAN
EXCELS.
BUT, OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE KIDS CAN BE CRUEL.
SOMEHOW AGAINST THE ODDS HE
RISES ABOVE IT ALL.
>> IF HE CAN DO IT.
I KNOW I CAN DO IT.
>> IF YOU ARE HAVING A BAD DAY.
>> I VISIT HIM.
>> Reporter: SCHOOL GETTING
THE HELP IT NEED SOD WE TURNED
DONOVAN.
>> WHEN I ASKED THE MOTHER WHY
IT WASN'T DONE SHE SAID DUE TO
HAD.
CATCH.
SPARKY ANDERSON'S FOUNDATION AND
THEY REACHED OUT TO HENRY FORD
HOSPITAL IN DETROIT AS PROCESS
GOT UNDERWAY.
EVENTUALLY AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS,
WE GOT TO THIS POINT.
LET ME LOOK.
>> Reporter: PROSTHETIC EYE
MADE FOR DONOVAN.
AT NO COST TO HIS FAMILY.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
>> Reporter: PATCH GONE.
NEW LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE EMERGED.
>> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF ALWAYS
HAVING TO WEAR A EYE PATCH?
>> KIND OF MESSED ME UP.
IT ALWAYS ITCHED.
>> WHEN YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE
MIRROR NOW, WHAT DO YOU SEE?
>> Reporter: I JUST SEE ME.
AND MY EYE.
>> HE ASKED HAS A LOT.
ME?
BAD PERSON HURT ME?
NOW HE IS GETTING SO MUCH LOVE
AND ATTENTION.
BAD.
>> THIS ONE CHILD IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT YOU WENT THE
EXTRA MILE TO GET HIM THIS EYE.
AND WE SAW IT IS AN EYE BUT IT
IS MORE THAN A EYE.
INTERVIEW.
HAVE SELF CONFIDENCE THAT HE MAY
NOT HAVE HAD WITH A PATCH.
>> Reporter: YES WE WERE ABLE
TO HELP DONOVAN BUT REALITY IS.
HE HAS HELPED ME.
TOO.
YOU SEE HE EVER IN LET THE ONE
BAD THING THAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
DEFINE HIM.
HE CHOSE TO FOCUS ON THE
POSITIVE IN HIS LIFE.
LOVING MOTHER.
CARING PRINCIPLE.
AND NEW FRIEND THAT WILL NEVER
FORGET HOW A LITTLE BOY TURNED A
TRAGEDY INTO A OPPORTUNITY.
>> HOW WOULD DO YOU THINK I AM?
>> THANK YOU.
YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND.
YEAH.
>> OH GOODNESS CHILDREN ARE SO
MIND.
20 SOMETHING.
HANG CAN LIVE WITH THAT.
>> Anchor: HE IS SO FILLED
SO GREAT.
>> Anchor: FANTASTIC.
DONOVAN'S PROSTHETIC EYE WAS
READY FOR HIM ON SECOND
ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOOTING THAT
ORIGINALLY TOOK THE EYE.
WORK TO DO TO IMPROVE THE EYELID