Trivia: Brianna Gardner, who played Cadence the little burn victim girl, is the daughter of the movie's makeup artist Tony Gardner. She can be seen with him in the movie's closing credits.
Trivia: Most of this movie was filmed in Charlotte, NC. The shots of Freedom Park where you see the water and small bridge; "Arboretum" is a shopping center / community, and the panoramic shots of downtown are all notable.
Answer: I think he was in the movie to reinforce that she is a genuinely nice person and that she had a wide circle of friends who appreciated her.