It鈥檚 not every day that a birthday party begins with a fly-by courtesy Comox 19 Wing 442 Squadron.
April 28, 2020 was not just any birthday party.
It was Chase Petersen鈥檚 - and what a birthday it was.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place, Chase couldn鈥檛 have the kind of birthday most eight-year-olds get. His was better.
Family friends Ryan Williams and Andrea Martin planned a drive-by parade for Chase, and being that April 28 is also National Superhero Day, the theme was a no-brainer.
Superheroes, both real and fictional, showed up in droves.
The parade started with a fly-by, featuring both the CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and the CC-115 Buffalo airplane.
From there, the RCMP, and Comox Fire Rescue, led a stream of close to 100 vehicles, as friends, family members and teachers from Chase鈥檚 school - Brooklyn Elementary - drove past a tent that had been set up, giving the guest of honour a front-row, curbside seat.
Many of the well-wishers drove past in costumes.
Chase鈥檚 older sister, Quinn, and younger brother Koa, were also on hand.
The parade lasted nearly 15 minutes, giving Chase a birthday present he鈥檚 not soon to forget.
It was a happy morning for the youngster, whose life took a dramatic turn during a family holiday in Mexico this past February.
鈥淲e were in Mexico, and Chase definitely wasn鈥檛 himself,鈥� said his mother, Erin. 鈥淲e took him to hospital and he was diagnosed with [leukemia]. We had to get an emergency flight back to Vancouver to start treatment right away. Now half of our family is living in Vancouver part-time - one parent is always in Comox, and one parent is always in Vancouver.鈥�
Chase will be a patient at BC Children鈥檚 Hospital for the next three years. His treatment includes 鈥渧ery intense chemotherapy treatments鈥� to combat acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
For one day, at least, all his troubles were set aside.
鈥淚t was pretty amazing to see,鈥� said Williams, at the conclusion of the parade. 鈥淭o see the Cormorant, and the Buffalo, then to have the amount of fire trucks and police cars鈥� and it seemed like the whole neighbourhood came to wish him a happy birthday.鈥�
Happy birthday, Chase Petersen.
This feel-good story is part of the #WereInThisTogether campaign by Black Press Media. Have an uplifting story that you think would bring joy to readers? Email your story, photos and videos to wereinthistogether@blackpress.ca.
terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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