Massachusetts' Littlest Garbage Man Makes His Rounds Thanks To Make-A-Wish

For four-year-old Alan, there was always something special about the garbage trucks that came through his Ashland neighborhood each week. He fell in love with the big green machines and wanted to be like the men and women who drove them.

He even dressed up as a garbage man for Halloween one year.

So, it was a no-brainer when Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island offered him the chance to make a wish that he would don the high-vis vest and hard hat and climb aboard a WM truck to put in a hard day's work. They even gave him a time card to punch in and out.

Alan was in good hands. He road with truck driver Richard Birch of the town of Thompson in Windham County, Connecticut, as they worked a special route along Carriage House Path made for the 4-year-old. Ashland police officers and firefighters escorted the truck.

"There’s trash cans everywhere!” Alan squealed as he looked out from the cab.

Alan was granted a wish because he lives with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder affecting the respiratory and digestive systems. Alan has had two intestinal surgeries and is now managing his condition with daily medications and therapies.

Alan's brother Theo, 7, tagged along on Alan's Make-A-Wish day. Theo, who also has cystic fibrosis, has his own wish day coming soon.

The boys' parents Lola and Luke said having a day where they could have fun and not worry about their conditions meant more than they could express.

“Coming around the corner to see how many people were here, that moment will definitely stick in my mind,” Lola said. “This has been amazing, just to take a day to not think about anything else and just celebrate Alan. It’s been tough, our medical journey, and what Alan and Theo deal with having cystic fibrosis. We want to thank the Make-A-Wish team, the WM team, and everyone else who made today possible, as well as the boys’ care team at Boston Children’s Hospital.”

Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island hopes to make the dreams of 150 children come true this summer. Click here to learn more about the organization and how to contribute to the group's efforts.