A normally quiet street in South Patterson Place quickly turned into a roaring car show Friday night. More than 180 vehicles and motorcycles made their way down 71 Avenue for a special birthday parade for a boy who just returned from treatment for a brain tumour in Edmonton.
Mom Kayla Paul says 11-year-old Syrus Paul started to losing mobility in his hand earlier this month and was diagnosed with the tumour on May 11th. The family has spent the past three weeks at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, and is back home for a week.
Kayla says he had the fluid from a cyst popped and his mobility has returned. For the next 17 months they’ll be returning to the capital city one day a week for chemotherapy and to monitor the tumour until it shrinks enough to be removed.
Despite the dramatic change to his life, Syrus is in good spirits, which was on full display as the parade performed burnouts in front of his home. His family regularly takes part in various classic car and bike rides.
“It was fun,” the birthday boy said after the street cleared out. “I like the nice cars like the sport cars.”
“It was nice that all the motorcycles came,” adds Kayla. “He loves motorcycles, so it’s great that they all got to come out, and it was such short notice.”
According to the Peace Country Toyz 4 Tots Society, the parade also raised $1,500 to help the family with medical and travel costs.
“I’m just absolutely shocked and just so, so blessed to have, and live in Grande Prairie, with this community.”