The St. Jude Children’s Hospital Connection in ‘Stranger Things’ Final Season

How about that finale, y'all? I have to confess, I cried like a baby the entire two hours of watching the last episode of Stranger Things. Like many of you, especially those who grew up in the 80s, I fell in love with this show. The sets, the props, the music, the story, the allegories, THE CAST.

The costumes & wardrobe weren't just a blast from the past either. They've inspired trends and become iconic parts of the franchise. Some of them by accident (I mean, who would have thought some of those fashions would be popular again, right?) and some of them on purpose.

I'm not sure who dressed the character of Hopper, but if choosing the hat he wears throughout this final season was an accident...oh man, I get chills just thinking about it. I definitely hope it starts a trend.

Get our free mobile app

As someone who collects vintage hats, it didn't stand out as anything special to me, but a cool old hat. A worn camo meshback hat with an Ace Hardware patch with J.A. Owens in Heflin, Alabama, stitched on it as well. Hopper wears it multiple times, but we saw it first in the trailer months ago.

That's when owner Tom Owens' daughter, Suzanne, started getting calls and text messages out the wazoo! Her daddy gave those hats to customers of his store back before 1988, when a fire destroyed them. She said she could not verify whether this hat was one of those, but it sure seemed to be.

Seeing an opportunity to do some good, Suzanne announced that she was making replicas of the hat to be sold as a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. A place that is near and dear to many hearts in our community, as well as ours.

Here is what she said about the Owen family connection to St. Jude:

Why St. Jude? In the 1970s, the first grandchild-and Dad’s name sake-Thomas Richard Harlan, was diagnosed with Leukemia at six. He was treated at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham; when things worsened, his doctors said his best chance was St. Jude in Memphis. He didn’t make it there, but countless children have—that hope is why St. Jude is our family’s charity.

You can follow her or the City of Heflin for updates on how to purchase replica hats. You should also read the comments for a heartwarming moment. This is all a pretty big deal for this little southern town.

If you are familiar with Jim Hopper's back story, you know that his daughter passed away after fighting childhood cancer. He was, of course, never the same, and her memory became a source of strength and guidance for him. That connection makes the hat more than just a hat. While this is a sad reminder that too many people are affected by childhood cancer, it's also a reminder that we won't stop supporting St. Jude until no child dies from it.