Members of the U.S. Coast Guard take to Juniper Valley Park to make Colin Flood their newest pilot. Photo courtesy Bob Holden
The U.S. Coast Guard teamed up with the western Queens 104th Precinct to make an 8-year-old’s day.
Photo courtesy Bob Holden
Colin Flood has been battling his second route of acute lymphocytic leukemia, but all that was put aside on Monday when he watched a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter land up close near his home in Middle Village’s Juniper Valley Park. The avid van of shows like “Coast Guard Alaska” and “The Deadliest Catch” said he always dreamt of being inside a Coast Guard helicopter.
“It meant a lot to us to see the happiness on Colin’s face and to be able to fulfill his dream to see a Coast Guard helicopter up close and personal,” said Special Agent John Keeley of Coast Guard Investigative Services, who helped coordinate between the Coast Guard, 104th Precinct, Fire Department and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to make Colin’s wish come true.
Photo courtesy Bob Holden
Once the Coast Guard air crew had arrived, they gave the borough boy a tour of the helicopter and presented him with a photograph of the helicopter signed by the Air Station crew, a Coast Guard ball cap and T-shirt, unit patches and a name tag with Colin’s name on it, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Flood received a bone marrow transplant nearly two years ago and has since been battling to overcome his leukemia.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation also granted the boy another one of his wishes, helping to send him to Walt Disney World Resort in November of last year.
By Phil Corso
