When a fire truck rounded the corner near her home Monday morning, 17-year-old Kayleigh Carpenter’s eyes grew wide.
The Chicago teenager, who has a longtime love of emergency vehicles and first responders, was about to spend the day living her dream of being a firefighter.
“She was very excited, especially like when we were at the house and she saw the fire truck come around the corner,” said her mother, Rashonda Hunt. “Like her eyes got really big, and she was very surprised.”
Through Make-A-Wish Illinois and the Chicago Fire Department, Kayleigh became an honorary Chicago firefighter — marking the organization’s 20,000th wish fulfilled since its founding in 1985.
Kayleigh, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, has always enjoyed watching fire trucks and ambulances, her mother said.
“Even at home, she will watch those kind of videos on YouTube,” Hunt said.
On Monday, Kayleigh got to experience much more than a firehouse visit. Wearing her own firefighter gear, she worked alongside Chicago firefighters, helped put out a fire and went up in a bucket truck. She even got to go on a ride on the Chicago River aboard a fireboat.
“We got on the fire boat and we kind of took a little tour down the river, and then we turned around and on the way back they put on a water show with the water cannons,” Hunt said.
At Engine 18, Chicago Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt welcomed Kayleigh into the department during a special swearing-in ceremony.
“Congratulations, Kaylee, and welcome to the fire department family,” Nance-Holt said.
Members of the cast of NBC’s “Chicago Fire” also joined the celebration, including actor David Eigenberg.
“It’s a city where we look out for each other,” Eigenberg said.
For Make-A-Wish Illinois, the day celebrated both Kayleigh and a milestone reached through decades of granting wishes for children facing critical illnesses.
“Every single wish takes a community coming together and investing in a child,” said Casey Marsh, the organization’s CEO.
Hunt said Kayleigh’s neurologist nominated her for the wish, a surprise that ultimately brought the family a day filled with excitement and joy.
“For me, it was just nice to see a smile on her face and see how happy she was to do something like this,” Hunt said.
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