Wish granted: Boy, 6, is garbageman for a day

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Ethan Dean has always dreamed of being a garbage man. He never tires of playing with toy garbage trucks and loves to watch real ones drive past his house.

On Tuesday, the 6-year-old with cystic fibrosis got his wish, riding shotgun in a booster seat through Sacramento as an honest-to-goodness garbage-truck driver with a set of wheels labeled “Ethan’s Garbage Truck.”

He donned a green cape that read “Hero Ethan” and a big smile as the truck stopped to pick up trash and recyclables. It wasn’t a chore for Ethan, who said his favorite part of the day put on by the Make-A-Wish Foundation was “cleaning up garbage.” Hundreds of people gathered to cheer him on.

After being surprised at school, Ethan and the garbage truck made five stops.

Sam Thurman, the Waste Management employee who drove Ethan, said when he agreed to take part, he had no idea how big the day was going to be.

And as for Ethan?

“He can’t wipe that grin off his face,” Thurman said. “He looks like it’s Christmas morning and he’s unwrapping his first present.”

Ethan was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant and began treatment at 8 weeks old. The genetic disorder is characterized by a buildup of thick mucus and frequent lung infections, and the median life expectancy is about 40 years old.