A Special Day For A Special Boy

[FFEMT150 214]

On 12/4, the members of Hughsonville FD in the Town of Wappingers helped make a little boys 11th birthday unforgettable. Christopher, the son of a close friend to my wife and I, has been diagnosed with "Leg-Calf Perthies", a bone disorder that has caused the complete deterioration of his right femur. Christopher has been confined to a wheel chair and has recently found out that he will be undergoing the first of several surgeries at Boston Childrens Hospital the week of Christmas. To celebrate his Birthday his family chose to rent the hall at HFD, seeing as Christopher has always loved the fire service. When the members of HFD found out what a fan of the fire department Christopher is they decided to give him a few gifts of their own. Sporting an HFD helmet and a huge grinn, Christopher was pushed through the engine room by the Captian of HFD and given his own personal VIP tour of the station. He almost jumped out of his wheel chair when the Lieutenant pulled "THE BEAST" (45-55 and Christophers favorite truck) into the back lot and sat him in the drivers seat. His eyes lit up as he was lifted into the bucket of the Tower Ladder and his smile could be seen for miles as the HFD members all accepted his challange to a "wheel chair race". Christophers perfect day came to a close with the members of HFD singing "Happy Birthday", having some cake, watching him unwrap his gifts and presenting him with his own HFD patch and T-Shirt (With a picture of "THE BEAST" on it of course).

From Christophers family: "To Chief Glenn Kramer, Assistant Chief Tim Laffin, Captian Ed D'Anna, Lieutenant Trevor Dhalla, Fire FIghter Ryan White and Fire Fighter Chris Baker:

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts, you have no idea how much this ment to Christopher and how much you have just helped him. It was so wonderful to see him smile like that today. He was still talking about all of you when we got home. Thank You and God Bless!"

Here are a few shots from the party. I wanted to post this to remind all of us why we do what we do. As the members of HFD showed today, It's not all about getting on the big red truck and running into the devils play ground. It's about the smile on a little boys face when you hand him a helmet and say "blow the horn". Thank you again HFD for making Christophers birthday so special for him. Stay Safe!

If anyone would like to be kept up to date on Christophers journey PM me.

[peterose313 345]

sounds like the members did a great thing for that family. Nice photos too, love the look on his face when he saw the rig.

[ex-commish 490]

Very touching story...

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Nice job guys. Just goes to show that the vast majority of people in this field REALLY are in it for the right reasons! To be there for people when they need it the most, and this looks like something this kid needed, and loved.

Nice job HFD!

[E112 12]

Awesome job guys, and great story!

[firemoose827 324]

Great job to HFD on this touching story. Its things like this that make it all worth it to me, great pictures too. Thanks for sharing.

All my best to Christopher and his family on his upcoming surgeries and recovery. I hope this is just the start of a great relationship between Christopher and his new family at HFD, good job guys.

Moose

[PEMO3 523]

Kudos for a class act guys. You are to be commended for going above a beyond but I am sure the smile on the little guys face was payment enough. Sometimes its the littlest things like sounding that air horn or just giving that wave from the window of the rig as you drive past that will be remembered for days on end in the life of a child.

[x635 4,066]

Awesome! It's a nice reminder of how caring the fire service can be, and how uplifitng it was for him. Shows that firefighters are still role models for kids and that includes everyone. Class act by the Hughsonville FD.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

[OnTheWheel 43]

That hour or so you guys took out of your own lives to give to this kid will mean a lifetime worth of memories to him! Outstanding, job well done.

[FFEMT150 214]

That hour or so you guys took out of your own lives to give to this kid will mean a lifetime worth of memories to him! Outstanding, job well done.

You are absolutely right about that. The amazing thing is that it was much more than an hour! These guys spent the entire 5 hour party with Christopher!

[Task Force 7 65]

Kudos to the members of HFD!! Very touching story. The 5th photo says it all!!

I wish Chris all the best on his surgeries!!

[engine51 10]

Thats Awesome!!!! you guys really did a nice thing there... I love seeing things like this when firefighters get to help people when its not on a scene of a call....

Great Work God Bless

[JBE 328]

Great job, guys. Tippin the Mets hat to the crew in Hughsonville.

[EMTred0416 2]

Thank you everyone for your well wishes. Thanks to HFD Christopher has found some courage. He looking foward to visiting them again real soon. Thank you again.

[JetPhoto 626]

Great job as always Hughsonville.

[OnTheWheel 43]

We did a make a wish a few years ago where a kid wanted to be a super hero who "saved the day" with police escort and everything. It was the most amazing and rewarding experience of my career and it will stick with me always. Wish we could do more of that!

[x129K 1,393]

The HFD catches alot of flack locally...but make no mistake, they are a class act as shown...and good firemen.

Kudos to the HFD crew...Happy Holidays Brothers.

(on a side note...who WOULDN'T smile around the BEAST!?)

[PaulBalentine 13]

Really touching story, guys, it brought a tear to my eye.......GREAT JOB, BROTHERS!!!! This job isn't just about fighting fires anymore. We do much more than that. The HFD and its officers and members are to be commended for their great work. People especially the young man, DO NOT soon forget your act of extreme kindness, additionally it makes the fire service as a whole look great!!!!!!!

[FFEMT150 214]

UPDATE: Christophers doctors have decided it best to move his surgery to the first week of january. This will allow him to be with his family for Christmas. Thanks everyone for your kind words and support!

[firemoose827 324]

UPDATE: Christophers doctors have decided it best to move his surgery to the first week of january. This will allow him to be with his family for Christmas. Thanks everyone for your kind words and support!

May Christopher and his family have a very merry christmas filled with memories. If they need anything for the holliday let us know. All my prayers will be with him in January for his surgeries...Please keep us posted?

[conman 40]

Great job by HFD. He is going to be a happy person for Christmas. Be sure to get Santa over there if you guys do that.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Serious respect HFD...way to lead by example and set the bar high. Thanks for making his b-day one he will never forget.

[FFEMT150 214]

So HFD did it again! They contacted Christophers mother and had her bring Christopher to the station today. He spent the entire day riding the jump seat of "THE BEAST" during their candy cane run! Thanks HFD for another memorable day for my little buddy! You guys TRULY bring the fire service to the next level! God bless all of you!

PS... Trying to get some pictures to post and thanks to all of you for the PMs and posts wishing well for Christopher. I will keep you all posted on his journey as he goes in for surgery in the following weeks.

[ptwatson 82]

Great job lads! You did the entire fire service proud!

[joetnymedic 43]

To the guys at HFD, you did a wonderful thing for Christopher. His story is very touching and I wish him the best. Christopher, it is my understanding you are a big fan of EMT Bravo and read it quite often, with that in mind, let me say this, Get well son and NEVER give up on your dreams. You will always have friends here.

Joe - Retired Medic and Proud member of EMT Bravo

[Guest Paladin Center]

Christopher,

Keep up the good fight! We will all be praying for you.

The Paladin Team

[JFLYNN 681]

Christopher, hang in there buddy! My thoughts are with you!

John Flynn, Yonkers Fire Dept.

[EMS92 30]

My prayers are with christopher and his family during his surgeries!! I hope christopher and his family have a very merry christmas! And job well done to the hfd on making a little boys wish come true and reaching out to the community!!

[JBE 328]

Hey Christopher, keep it up, fighting the good fight. YOU CAN DO IT!!!! The door is open at FDNY Communications if you ever want to visit.

God Bless, and enjoy your Christmas.

Jimmy "JBE" Raftery

Supervising Fire Alarm Dispatcher

FDNY COmmunications

[PapaSmurf 1]

What a great story. Kudos to the HFD!

And best of luck to Christopher!