Trucks, helicopters, camels, thousands turn up to support terminally ill child in Kansas City

Every so often, a community gathers itself and puts aside petty annoyances and arguments to celebrate the things that really matter. That’s what happened in Kansas City when the community found out that three-year-old Tucker Langford was sent home on hospice care.

Tiny Tucker was diagnosed with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), a rare skin condition that makes even the most gentle touch painful. In fact, when he was born, he was missing skin on his feet, hands, lips, and chest. Not only is Tucker fighting DEB, but he was also diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a terminal heart condition. After weeks of treatment, Tucker was sent home to enjoy the time he has left with his parents and family.

- YouTube youtu.be

“So, he’s been on medication, and then two weeks ago, the doctors had a conversation with all of us, and they told us that they were pretty much at their end of what they can do for Tucker,” said Tucker’s father, Chandler Langford.

Tucker is a big fan of trucks, and the family decided to throw him a parade, contacting the local fire department, KMFD Station 10, to see if they could help organize it. When the fire station posted the information about the parade on social media, the response was overwhelming.

Fleets of trucks, motorcycles, classic cars, and other vehicles participated in the parade. Along with them were construction trucks, dogs, camels, and even a police helicopter. What was going to be a small parade starting at the T-Shotz Golf and Entertainment Venue parking lot to encourage and make a little boy’s day turned into a massive gathering of an estimated 3,000 cars and about 5,000 people.

“It’s just amazing to see the turnout, and how much people care,” said Michell Maddox to the Kansas City Star, who brought a 1965 Chevrolet Impala wagon to the massive parade. “It’s really incredible.”

All of these people, neighbor and stranger alike, gathering to help make a small child smile, is inspiring to many. For many members of the Kansas City community, this parade wasn’t just for Tucker. While it certainly was intended for the small boy, participating in it felt like the unification of a community and a reminder that the differences among members are much smaller than initially perceived.

"This is like the get-along shirt for the city that we so desperately needed," James Moran of the KCFD told KMBC 9. "Like, stop arguing, stop being mad, stop shooting everybody, just get along? If we can't do this as a city, like, what are we doing?"

Tucker and his parents’ desire to see a few trucks turned into something much bigger than they could have ever imagined, and made a community get together, relax, and enjoy one another. While the intention was to make Tucker smile, it ended up bringing a smile to all of Kansas City.

If you wish to support Tucker’s family, you can make a donation to their GoFundMe.