When you ask kids what they want to do when they grow up, sometimes, their answers are predictable – they might want to be a rockstar, doctor, or actor. But what about a truck driver?
A little boy in Ashland, Massachusetts, recently stole the hearts of many after his Make-A-Wish request was fulfilled, and he got to be a garbage truck driver for a day.
Alan is a four-year-old boy living in Ashland who spent most of his young life battling Cystic Fibrosis, which is a genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body, including the lungs, cells, tissues, and glands.
Little Alan’s story with Cystic Fibrosis was unique, as while the disorder is known for its respiratory effects, he has dealt with intense digestive symptoms. A day in Alan’s life involves taking several medications and using nebulizer therapies.
Another big part of Alan’s day is waiting for the local garbagemen to drive to his house in their big trucks and pick up his family’s trash cans, particularly men from the company WM.
For a long time, Alan has been fascinated by garbagemen, and he even dressed as one for Halloween. He often told his parents how much he admired them.
So, when Alan and his parents were presented with an opportunity from the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant him his dream day, they knew being a garbageman needed to have something to do with it.
On July 10th, Alan was a WM man for an entire day, getting up bright and early on a Wednesday morning to tour the WM facility in West Boylston, hang out with the crew, put on a bright yellow safety vest, and “clock in” for a day on the job (not before enjoying a donut break, of course).
One of the day’s highlights was Alan’s reaction to driving around in a big WM truck, just like the one he looked forward to seeing during the week.
yaalan – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
“With his father, Luke, seated next to him, Alan rolled out with WM driver Richard Birch of Thompson, Connecticut, at the wheel, to the celebratory sendoff honks of the other WM vehicles ready to head out for the day,” wrote Make-A-Wish in a press statement.
With a police escort, Alan got to work a special local route laid out just for him, helping WM workers with bins and using the truck’s levers.
The special route for Alan ended at his school, where a big crowd of local servicemen and women, students, faculty, and other communities were waiting to cheer him on with homemade signs of encouragement.
Alan’s brother, Theo, who is also battling Cystic Fibrosis, was able to join in on the fun as well and had a very memorable experience.
At the end of the day, Alan and his family were treated to a special lunch at his favorite local restaurant.
“Alan will no doubt continue his WM work; the WM team presented him and Theo with duffel bags full of gear so they can keep practicing their new skills,” wrote the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
It’s so amazing to see how Make-A-Wish and the people of WM could make this happen for Alan, taking a wish that seemed fairly simple and turning it into one of the most exciting days of his life.
To learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation and donate to their cause, you can visit their website here.
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