Dalton “D” Harvey has dreamed of being a firefighter his entire life. The 17-year-old grew up watching shows like Chicago Fire − his favorite of the bunch − and being inspired by the bravery on display while filling his room with firefighter memorabilia, posters and trinkets.
A battle with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) − a type of muscular dystrophy − physically prevents Dalton from achieving that dream, but Escambia County Fire Rescue (ECFR) sought to make it a reality to start the new year.
ECFR brought the cavalry out to Dalton’s Cantonment home on Friday, designating him an honorary firefighter and giving him his own helmet to add to his collection.
“For D, firefighters are his life. He has been in awe of them since he was a very tiny boy,” said Dalton’s mother, Tammy Harvey. “They tell us just a few more years, we don’t know, but for him to be able to be involved in something like this… it’s just beyond amazing.”
Shortly after meeting some of his idols, they unfortunately had to take off early for a real call. But even watching them pull out for a job left Dalton with a smile.
“I’ve been on the brink of tears a couple of times already just watching the joy on his face,” Tammy said.
Dalton has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness due to the alterations of a protein called dystrophin that helps keep muscle cells intact, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
The Harveys lived in Illinois before moving to Cantonment and Dalton’s brother, Brock Harvey, told the News Journal they met firefighters there under similar circumstances. They’ve only lived in the area for about six months, but they already feel embraced and loved by their new community.
Dalton was joined by his family and friends on Friday, who were nearly more excited than him for his opportunity to meet ECFR firefighters.
“I’m so happy to see him doing it. This makes him so much happier than people know,” Brock said. “He doesn’t always have a huge smile on his face, just because it doesn’t come up as much, but you can see it if you know him.”
Despite the difficult circumstances that brought the groups together, Dalton’s village was appreciative he was able to experience this feeling of extended community and support once again.
“It’s a very special day for us,” said ECFR Deputy Fire Chief Paul Williams. “We’re so glad that Dalton decided to make this part of his wish, we hope we were able to fulfill that wish for him today and make it an extra special day for him.”
The special day was initiated by VITASHealthcare, a multidisciplinary healthcare provider with offices from Pensacola to Nashville. They visit hospice patients at their homes to provide individual care determined by the patients’ preferences and wishes.
“What we do on the mission is, especially with our pediatric patients, ask what would make his journey more special. And we try to make that happen as often as we can,” said VITAS Senior Director of Market Development Libby Walther.
VITAS reached out to ECFR on behalf of Dalton after his primary care provider told them about his passion for firefighters.
“There’s no words,” Walther said when asked how the event resonated with her. “It kind of just makes your throat kind of get tight and you just want to cry out of happiness because being able to make a difference in somebody’s life, touch (the hearts of) the neighbors and family members, is the reason why we’re in this job.”
Over time, Dalton’s battle with DMD has kept him from participating in some hobbies that he still holds dear, like swimming, horseback riding and video games, the latter of which was the most recent loss.
“That’s the cool thing, these are things he’ll never forget,” Brock continued. “It means twice as much because it’s all he ever wanted, he just wanted to be able to do things that everybody else could do.”
Nowadays, one of Dalton’s favorite things to do is sit in the peacefulness of Pensacola Beach, according to Tammy, while enjoying a view of the water and his older brother surfing.
Despite the losses and struggle over the years, Dalton’s resilience hasn’t faltered.
“Even with family friends, he’s never alone, that kid is never alone. Just having people that love him around, that’s the most you can do for a lot of people,” Brock said. “At the end of the day that’s what we all need.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County Fire names hospice patient an honorary firefighter