Becker firefighters, Sherburne County Public Works and the sheriff’s office helped make last Friday a special day for three-year-old Ivan Bender, who is battling kidney cancer.

 

Ivan and his sister, six-year-old Evelyn, spent a little over an hour visiting the Becker Fire Dept., where they received their own turnout gear. They got to examine the big rigs and their contents and even climbed up the 100-foot ladder on the ladder truck (the ladder was in its horizontal position and Ivan and Evelyn were escorted by Firefighter Tom Wark).

 

Ivan is a huge fan of big trucks and vehicles.

 

Ivan and Evelyn also had the opportunity to go for a ride in the ladder truck with the lights and sirens wailing through the neighborhood. Upon returning, the two Bender kids were assisted with a fire house and simulated dousing a fire on a wooden cutout of a house.

 

Following the excitement at the fire station house, Ivan and his family took a tour of the county public works building in Becker. They viewed a squad car, snow plows, the sheriff’s office MRAP and other equipment up close and personal.

 

Ivan played with the county’s K-9 (Riggs), received his own toy dog from K-9 Handler Deputy Ryan Sturm and received construction stickers and a vest from Public Works Director Andrew Witter. Ivan even took a ride in one of their snow plows.

 

Sheriff Joel Brott presented Ivan with a challenge coin from the sheriff’s office and received a big hug from the grateful boy. 

 

Ivan recently had his last round of chemotherapy. His parents, Ariel and Adam, hope he has a clean checkup in February.

 

There will be a benefit April 13 for Ivan at Jack & Jim’s in Duelm. For more information about Ivan and his battle against cancer, visit his Caring 

Bridge page at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ivanbender.