A critically ill young boy’s wish was granted Wednesday morning by the Make A Wish Mid Atlantic Foundation and Metro. His wish — his very own ride aboard a Metrobus.
For his tenth birthday, Jacob Crandall wanted to take the bus with his family. The Washington-area transit company was thrilled to get the request, according to Leroy Jones, Metro’s senior vice president of bus services.
“Chills are going though my body right now,” said Jones about the agency’s first-ever Make a Wish request. “When we received the request last week, everyone sprung into action, just trying to figure out how can we pull this off. How can we make this the most special day for Jacob.”
Crandall and his family arrived at the Western Bus Division garage in Friendship Heights in a limousine before the group hopped aboard a new Metrobus decked out with balloons, Metro swag and even a bus-themed birthday cake.
– Metro Forward (@wmata) March 13, 2024
“He loves trucks and buses. And he likes to ride by trucks and buses,” his great-uncle Joe told reporters, speaking on behalf of the family.
“All of our family members have been through a lot,” he said. She has been in children’s hospitals for years with various problems, and this puts pressure on everyone. But seeing an occasion like this puts a positive spin on what he’s going through and the full circle of family members.
Before Crandall and his family took off on their ride, he waved to the crowd and got a birthday cheer before cruising down Wisconsin Avenue and riding through Georgetown.
“It’s a big happy day for him. He hasn’t had many lately,” Joe said.
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