“I think it was pretty cool and great of them,” Patrick said.
Officers and firefighters gave Patrick numerous blue and red balloons and two gift bags, which contained T-shirts, hats, mugs, a stuffed animal of a Glendale Police dog and a toy fire engine.
“This is what it’s all about for us,” Battalion Chief Greg Fish said. “This is what we do. We help people. We love to see a kid like this, who is going through tough times, rewarded.”
The family has been embroiled in an effort to prevent a second-story addition to a nearby house, fearing the resulting construction dust and other residual impacts might compromise their son’s immune system.
The Planning Commission last month derailed the plan, but based mostly on neighborhood compatibility grounds. Commissioners approved a conditional use permit for construction of a one-story, single-family home that met certain conditions to public health protection. Among the requirements is that all demolition be done by hand to prevent launching dirt into the air.
In addition to the show of lights and sirens, Glendale police Officer Shawn Sholtis and his police dog, Sam, also performed a training maneuver for Patrick, who said he hadn’t been near a dog in two years as a result of his cancer treatments.
Firefighters took Patrick on a ride in the fire engine around the block, and later he sat on a police motorcycle and pushed the siren buttons.
“This is his dream come true,” Patrick’s mother, Juanita Shahijanian, said.
The grand arrival came as a surprise to Patrick.
His parents told Glendale police Sgt. Lola Abrahamian that Patrick was big fan of police and fire personnel.
A few months ago, Patrick watched intensely from his front window as Glendale and Los Angeles police officers searched for an armed suspect, who fled into the Hillside Drive and Verdugo Road neighborhood.
He was in awe of the police’s effort to catch the suspect and became so excited that his parents’ feared they would have to rush him to the hospital.
Patrick’s passion for public safety motivated Abrahamian to organize Tuesday’s welcoming.
Having a young Glendale resident respect what police do is refreshing, she said.
“Most of the time, unfortunately, our contact with the general public is a negative one,” she said. “It’s good to do something like this.”
Patrick and his parents gave each officer and firefighter a pendant to thank them.
Online for video of Patrick Aghaian’s surprise visitors, see the818now.com
