By PHILIP MESSING
May 9, 2008 -- His simple wish was their willing command.
Responding to terminally ill Yuri Benefeld's modest hope - that a cop and firefighter stop by to say hello on his 12th birthday - some 40 members of the NYPD and FDNY showed up yesterday for a surprise party beyond his wildest dreams.
The Midwood, Brooklyn, youngster, wheelchair-bound and ventilator-dependent, was serenaded with a chorus of "Happy Birthday" - and then chauffeured around in an NYPD Emergency Service truck.
"All the neighbors got scared. They came running out to see what's going on. Nobody was expecting anything like this," said Yuri's delighted mom, Debbie, referring to the maze of firetrucks and police vehicles that descended on their East 28th Street home.
Her son suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder marked by progressive muscle weakness that leads to paralysis and death. Most victims don't survive their teens, according to the Web site cureduchenne.org.
Steve Zakaheim, a community activist, and Raizy Goldberger, of Chai Lifeline, a charity that aids sick children and their families, teamed up to honor Yuri's birthday wish.
First, a small entourage of firefighters came by with a birthday cake, a fire hat and an ax - and their firehouse Dalmatian, who gladly lapped up Yuri's attention.
When the firefighters realized the youngster had a blanket with various police and fire patches sewn on, James Breslin, of Engine Co. 309 took off his own to add to the collection, witnesses told The Post.
Soon more celebrants stopped in, including cops from the 70th Precinct, NYPD Canine Unit and Emergency Service Squad Truck 6.
"Everybody was shocked to the extent that everyone went just to bring a smile to this kid's face," said Jack Meyer, a community resident who serves as a liaison to the NYPD.
Yuri's mom called the impromptu party a "bittersweet" experience for her, but noted her son was "emanating a glow of happiness."
"He was happy," she said.
Added dad Michael Benefeld, "I feel that something like this was above and beyond what anyone could have expected.
"You don't see something like this, of this magnitude, every day."
Read original article on NY Post website.
1 comment:
Amazing job guys.
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