3-Year-Old In & Out Of Hospital Gets To Spend Day As A Firefighter
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A 3-year-old boy, constantly in and out of the hospital, got a special opportunity to spend the day as a firefighter.
It's been a rough road for Travis Stroup.
He was born with a brain deformity and during a surgery earlier this year, he had a stroke.
His eyesight was impacted and he lost all use of his stomach.
"He has been through so much, he's on a permanent feeding tube, he's prone for strokes and seizures," Unity, A Journey of Hope's John Robinson said.
This weekend, Travis was able to forget about being sick, at least for a few hours.
He became an honorary fireman thanks to a group called Unity, A Journey of Hope and the Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department in Fayette County.
"Didn't realize there was so many people who truly cared for a sick little boy and it's just an awesome feeling to know that there are people out there that genuinely care," Travis' grandmother, Terry Halinka, said.
Firefighters gave Travis his own uniform, badge and even his own locker.
He toured the station and took a ride in a truck.
Travis was all smiles, which was a welcome sight on a little boy who's spent 95 days in the hospital, this year alone.
"It means the world just to see a smile on his face, knowing everything he has been through. It has been very hard on us watching him day-to-day, hospital after hospital, operation after operation and just to see him happy, it's just like a dream come true,"
"They were able to see little Travis smile and be in awe, instead of having to worry about his J tube, about having to worry about being sick, they said he became a 3-year-old boy again today," Robinson said.
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