Cool cat gets new hat

Aidan Loney grabbed at his father’s arm, laughed and made growling sounds.

He had just eaten lunch and it was his favorite meal, a hotdog and chips with Sprite to drink. Like most 5-year-old boys, he was excited to be at Olathe Fire Station No. 6.

Firefighters asked if he was ready to see the fire trucks. Without hesitation, he smiled, nodded his head, grabbed his small, sticker-covered walker and headed down the hall.

The green cast on his right leg didn’t hold Aidan back. He moved so fast a firefighter rushed to keep him from running into the heavy door leading to the truck bay.

“That’s big,” Aidan said, as he inspected one of the shiny, red fire trucks.

His father Rob said Aidan loves fire trucks, police cars, planes, big construction trucks and motorcycles.

Aidan, his sister, Keely, his mother, Teresa, and Rob had their picture taken with Olathe and Lenexa firefighters. And then Mark Stephan, a regional sales manager for Bullard, a supplier of fire equipment, and the fire chief of Lake Quivira, pulled out a small cardboard box.

“We wanted to give you your own fire helmet,” Stephan said.

Aidan was timid at first as Stephan pulled the helmet from the box. His eyes took in the large, red helmet with his name, “Firefighter” and “Fire Rescue” printed on it.

Stephan placed the helmet on Aidan’s head, which is covered with blond, stubbly hair. Aidan smiled and turned his head slightly, so people could take his picture.

It’s a small gift for someone who has experienced more than a 5-year-old boy should, said Mike Hall, a spokesman for the Olathe Fire Department.

Aidan’s parents took him to a pediatrician in early March when he complained about having pain in his leg. After examining him, the doctor sent Aidan to Children’s Mercy South Hospital for an X-ray. Aidan then was taken to Children’s Mercy in downtown Kansas City, Mo., for a biopsy and MRI.

On March 16, doctors diagnosed Aidan with osteosarcoma, or bone cancer. Aidan was admitted to Children’s Mercy and began chemotherapy a week later.

The plan is for Aidan to undergo six sessions of chemotherapy before having surgery. The doctors plan to remove a tumor from his leg and part of the bone affected by the tumor. Another 14 sessions of chemotherapy are likely and he could have another surgery to restructure his leg.

“He’s a tough guy,” Rob said. “He’s a trooper.”

His illness was far from his mind Thursday, a least for the moment, as a firefighter lifted him onto his father’s lap in the front passenger seat of the fire truck. He got excited and smiled when they put the headset firefighters wear when going on calls over his ears.

Capt. Jack Holcom started the truck and drove out of the station onto College Boulevard, followed by a Lenexa fire truck and a Lenexa rescue vehicle. The parade of emergency vehicles escorted Aidan back to his school, Meadow Lane Elementary School, which is about a mile from the fire station.

The event was a joint effort of the Olathe and Lenexa fire departments because Aidan lives in Lenexa but attends school in the Olathe school district. It was a precursor to an event scheduled for May 17.

“They had requested a fire truck for the event and when the guys saw it scheduled on the calendar, they decided they wanted to do more,” Hall said. “Most of us are parents, uncles, aunts, and grandparents, and childhood cancer is something that concerns us all.”

Lemons 4 Life is organizing Aidan’s Fire Brigade Parade, a walk and wagon ride to raise financial support for the Loney family and to raise awareness of childhood cancer. The parade is from 1 to 3 p.m. at Prairie Trail Junior High School, 21600 W. 107th St., Olathe.

Anyone interested in participating can go to www.lemons4life.org and register for the event.