HOUSTON – For Houston’s first responders the fight against the coronavirus rages. There is no work from home, no preventative self-quarantine.
Houston Fire Department crews are on the front lines answering the call no matter the quest. Station 71’s siren signaled a rush Monday as firefighters sprinted to save a little boy’s birthday.
“Little gestures like that keep hope alive. It truly does,” said Rochelle Johnson.
Johnson’s son, Jason, turned 3 years old on Monday and for a while, his family didn’t know what they could do to celebrate. That is, until Rochelle conjured up a plan. After all, calls to stay home don’t quite register to a 2-year-old on a mission to celebrate the big three.
“So, I was like well, he’s not understanding. He keeps talking about his birthday and he wants cupcakes and all of this. So, I was like what can we do,” Johnson said.
Jason likes firefighters. So, his mother called the Houston Fire Department Station 71 as a start. Station 71 services their neighborhood in Clear Lake.
At first it seemed a shot in the dark.
“They literally said if we’re able to do it then we will be there and true enough they came around the corner and I just lost it,” Johnson said, recounting her surprise to see the truck drive down her street, siren whaling.
“He got to run up to the truck, social distancing, of course, and they gave him…” Johnson said before asking Jason, “How many toys did you get from the firefighters yesterday? Do you remember?
Jason replied, “Three!”
Relatives recorded video of the birthday parade, which included family and friends, each fulfilling Jason’s wish to have a birthday party.
“I know that there’s a lot going on in the community right now and for them to take out the time from their schedules to come and do something for a three year old, it was just amazing.”
Houston’s heroes to the rescue.
“I say thank you guys for everything that you do and don’t be surprised if I have a pizza delivered for you guys. Pepperoni or meat lovers,” Johnson added with a chuckle.