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Mass. boy, 8, with cancer becomes firefighter for a day

Firefighters surprised Rylee Sostre when they picked him up in a fire truck for a party at the station

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By FireRescue1 Staff

CHELSEA, Mass. — An 8-year-old boy living with terminal cancer had the opportunity to live out one of his life dreams — becoming a firefighter.

Rylee Sostre, who suffers from brain stem cancer, was sworn in as a firefighter on Thursday and given his own uniform. His grandmother, Joanne Salas, called the Chelsea Fire Department a month ago to see if her grandson could get a tour of the station, reported AJC.

“It was really shocking just to see a firefighter and truck in the front of my house, I was like, ‘What’!” Rylee told WWLP.

Rylee was picked up by firefighters in a fire truck, and then celebrated with firefighters and family at a surprise pizza party at the station. He also learned how to handle a fire hose.

“You’re like part of my family now. This is more friends than I ever had,” Rylee told firefighters.

Although firefighters had planned to take Rylee home in a ladder truck, he opted for the fire chief’s car instead.

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