but it actually started last month, just before rachel beckwith's 9th birthday. instead of asking for a gift, she wanted to give one. clean water to thirsty kids in faraway lands. >> her big crazy goal is to raise $300 so that 15 kids in africa would have clean, safe water. >> reporter: she raised $220 just $80 short of her goal. she resolved to try again next year. but then came the accident. too violent for even the biggest of hearts to survive. >> i don't think you have to be a parent to not be able to wrap your mind around this intense pain. we all want to do whatever we can. >> reporter: the best memorial, they figured, was just to keep rachel's water drive going. so they did. and then came the flood. her story spread, on twitter, and facebook. the tally grew. first by the day, then by the minute. the owner of this hair salon in yorba linda, california, donated because he says rachel's story mattered. >> it just amazes me that someone, a 9-year-old girl, a small child, can have such a monumental impact. >> reporter: well over $600,000 has been donated in rac

rachel beckwith was taken from this world far too soon.hort life is having a huge impact on people who never knew her. joe marino of komo has her story. >> rachel beckwith is among seven people hurt in a chain reaction collision on interstate 90 earlier this week. her injuries were the most severe. at harbor view, doctors realized her spinal cord was severed and told family there was nothing they could do. loved ones want herselfless passion to live on. >> she cares about other people more than herself. >> veronica says her niece always wanted to help others and set out to raise $300 to pay for clean water in developing countries. >> for her birthday she told us not to buy her presents. she wanted everyone to give money so that children and parents can have water. >> but then the accident struck and rachel's pastor at church decided to keep promoting her fund-raising mission for the non-profit group charity water. church used facebook and twitter to encourage people to give. and thousands of dollars started pouring in by the hour. >> she d

. >>> heartbreaking story, rachel beckwith.d girl asked friends and family to donate money to charity rather than giving her birthday gifts. then last night she died from injuries suffered in a horrific traffic accident on wednesday. but her inspiring story has led to an outpouring of generosity. her goal was to raise $300 for a charity providing clean water, drinking water to people in africa and as of tonight, her website has received donations totaling more than $66,000. imagine that. you can add to this number. just go to mycharitywater.org/rachels 9thbirthday. or our blompth we will put it up there fufrmt >>> suspicious fires in north hollywood. we'll ask the fire department what's going on. is a serial arsonist on the loose? [ sirens ] it's investing with intelligence and cold hard conviction. e-trade. investing unleashed. discover customersl are getting five percent cashback bonus at the pump... and at many of the places their summer plans take them. it pays to switch, it pays to discover. >>> that is incredible video. a

when rachel beckwith turned 9 years old last month, she told everyone, i don't want any presents.nstead, donate to a fund to bring clean water to poor countries. she was about $80 short of her $300 goal when she blew out her birthday kajd. but when she was critically injured in a freak car accident last week, thousands were inspired by her wish and donations came pouring in. by saturday, when her parents removed her from life support, thanks to social media, which helped boost rachel's water fund to more than $250,000. incredible how word spreads now. >> making a great difference in life and in death. >>> all right. well, let's turn things out to jeff ranieri joining us live, flying a kite. i thought you were going to fly a kite today, too? >> well, i had my hands on those controls earlier. we'll show you some amazing kites coming up in a little bit. right now, we're taking a live look across the san francisco bay as fog rolls in with temperatures in the 60s. we'll let you know about some major heat coming back in my seven day forecast and we'll talk about the berkeley kite festiv

. >>> heartbreaking story, rachel beckwith. the 9-year-old girl asked friends and family to donate money to charity rather than giving her birthday gifts. then last night she died from injuries suffered in a horrific traffic accident on wednesday. but her inspiring story has led to an outpouring of generosity. her goal was to raise $300 for a charity providing clean water, drinking water to people in africa and as of tonight, her website has received donations totaling more than $66,000. imagine that. you can add to this number. just go to mycharitywater.org/rachels 9thbirthday. >>> suspicious fires in north hollywood. we'll ask the fire department what's going on. is a serial arsonist on the loose? in here, the planned combination of at&t and t-mobile would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities, giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenev

this is 9-year-old rachel beckwith. her birthday june 12th didn't want any gifts.y that brings fresh water to developing nations. she and her mother set up a website, goal to raise $300 to support the cause. rachael was close to her goal when she died in a car crash in washington state and since then an extraordinary outpouring of support. people took note, her request, she wanted $00, has now raised $500,000. most of the gifts from strangers for just $9. rachel's fund-raising campaign is now the largest in the history of the organization called charity water. pretty incredible. >>> seven minutes past the hour now. here's a preview of tonight's "cbs evening news." >> all over the country, drivers are caught by traffic cameras and pay fines, sometimes up to $500. we'll tell you about a new controversy over whether these tickets can be enforced and why people in at least one city are demanding their money back. that story tonight on the "cbs evening news." >>> and we check in now marysol castro who has another check of our weather. good morning. >> good morning every