SC woman named one of 5 Southerners of the Year by Southern Living. Here’s why she’s special

Every week, a Happy Wheels cart visits every room in South Carolina’s three children’s hospitals — one week it bears books, the next toys.

It is the life’s work of Lexington’s Tracey Rankin, who was recently named one of five Southerners of The Year by Southern Living.

“I was shocked,” Rankin said in a phone interview Monday.

She said it came about when she was nominated by the sister of a friend who is also an anchor of Good Morning America. The awards were announced on a segment of the show last week.

Rankin started the nonprofit 15 years ago after seeing a similar program at the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital. She formed a nonprofit and started one at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital in Columbia and Greenville Memorial Children’s Hospital. Now all three are under her direction.

“When we knock on their door, they don’t really know who’s knocking and they’re skeptical,” Rankin said. So much pain comes through the door for them.

But then they see the cart.

“It’s a beautiful experience, the change in their faces,” she said. “They’re a normal kid again.”

The carts hold dozens of items for each age group. Flannel blankets are a particular favorite.

Books come from Rankin’s list through Barnes & Noble, which asks customers to buy the books for the nonprofit. Two stores in Greenville, two in Columbia and one in Mount Pleasant are collecting books.

Rankin estimates 400 children are served each year.

She said her previous work in the music industry prepared her well for heading up Happy Wheels Inc.

Rankin holds a degree in recording industry management and worked her way up from selling tee-shirts to tour manager for Faith Hill, Sara Evans and Shania Twain.

“It is strangely the same,” Rankin said. “You are selling an intangible product.”

People skills, creating relationships, protecting reputations, it’s similar, she said.

She was on the road 10 months a year, in a different city every day and decided she wanted to come home to South Carolina.

After 12 years, she knew it was time to look for something else.

“People think it’s glamorous. It’s not,” she said.

Happy Wheels has been her answer.