Before little Trucker Dukes, a 3-year-old boy from Maui, Hawaii, even turned two, he was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a very serious and aggressive form of cancer. While Trucker’s father—a firefighter—stayed in Hawaii to care for their three other children, Trucker and his mother began traveling back and forth from Maui to New York so he could receive special medical treatment.
During one of their stays in New York, Trucker and his mom met Captain Jim Grismer at the Ronald McDonald House, a place where many families stay while their children undergo treatment. Captain Grismer remembered the moment clearly. He said:
“I saw this little boy excitedly walking toward me with his eyes shining. I opened my arms, and he climbed up and hugged me around the neck. It felt like we had known each other forever.”
The moment touched him deeply.
Not long after meeting Trucker, Captain Grismer decided to do something special. He took Trucker and his mom on a tour of several firehouses around the city. During this visit, the firefighters made Trucker an honorary firefighter. Over time, the New York firefighters grew incredibly close to Trucker and his family—almost like extended family members.
Trucker’s mom later shared her feelings on Facebook. She wrote:
“This honor means so much to us because Trucker really believes he’s a firefighter. We’re so lucky to have been embraced by the FDNY. Over and over again, I’ve watched big, tough men fall in love with Trucker. It’s really something special.”
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