A wish has become reality for an 8-year-old Lakeshore boy.
Dekson Thibert, a student at St. William Catholic Elementary School, was granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and was surprised by his parents, extended family, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Lakeshore Fire Department, and Minnie and Mickey Mouse.
On Thursday afternoon, Dekson was picked up from school by members of the OPP and the fire department, and driven to his home with the lights and sirens on before he was told that he would be going to Disney World.
Dekson was diagnosed with West syndrome, which is a type of seizure that affects babies and young children, when he was one-and-a-half years old. Due to the nature of his diagnoses, it's considered a critical illness, therefore qualifying him for a Wish.
Dekson's mom, Katelynn Thibert, is a member of the OPP and asked her co-workers to meet him at the bus stop with the lights on, however they decided to go all-in and invite Lakeshore Fire to also take part in the exciting day.
Katelynn says Dekson has gone through a lot.
"Dekson was diagnosed with West syndrome, which is a catastrophic form of childhood epilepsy, and because of the nature of his diagnoses, it's considered a critical illness, and so that qualifies him for Make-A-Wish. So, essentially we applied through his medical team, and they submitted the paperwork for us, and it was granted."
She says it was so special to tell Dekson his Wish was granted.
"His Wish was to go to Disney, so we were able to pool together with Lakeshore Fire and the OPP, who I'm employed with, and so everyone was able to kind of bring it together to go to Dekson's school at St. William, and be able to tell him that he was getting the Wish granted. And he got to ride in the fire truck, and come back home, and we told him here at the house."
Katelynn says she knew Dekson would also love the surprise of having OPP and Lakeshore Fire pick him up.
"What did you want to be when you grow up buddy?"
"A firefighter," says Dekson.
"Dekson's always wanted to be a firefighter, and so our friends with Lakeshore Fire, and then my co-workers with the OPP came together. I just asked for them to be at the bus stop for Dekson when he got off to give him the surprise box and they really took it upon themselves to make it bigger than that, and bring all the team out to be able to help Dekson be informed of the Wish."
Dekson will be going to Disney World in Florida in February along with his mom, his dad Jeff, and his younger brother Duke.