Sailors pass feats of strength to grant child’s wish

A team from HMCS Fredericton’s crew (green shirts), as part of the ‘Sailors For Wishes’ fundraising campaign from Aug. 6-14, participated in the International Fire Truck Pull in St. Stephen, NB. Inset: Children’s Wish Foundation child Noah, 9, with his mother Julie Bennett.

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In eight days, they biked 1,000 kilometres, marched in parades and even pulled a fire engine with their bare hands. Then, the sailors of HMCS Fredericton granted a little boy his wish — playtime outside.

Noah Bennett, 9, has both autism and severe neurodevelopmental issues. He was born underdeveloped and as an infant, just as he was learning to babble and say ‘da-da’, he had a seizure that left him permanently non-verbal, said his mother Julie Bennett.

At two-years-old, a stroke paralyzed the left side of his body.

More than anything in the world, Noah loves playing outside on his family’s backyard deck. However, the deck height is a danger and there isn’t much protection from the sun. The family lives in a mosquito-dense area and because of his condition Noah won’t swat them away. He will often return inside with terribly swollen red arms.

But now things are getting better. Thanks to the over $40,000 raised so-far through HMCS Fredericton’s 11th annual ‘Sailors for Wishes’ Children’s Wish Foundation fundraising drive, Noah is having a personal ‘outdoor play oasis’ built for him.

The new play area is going to replace a single shade-giving umbrella with a full roof, have mosquito netting, safety barriers, a sensory play table with water and sand, and an easy access magnetic door from the house so Noah can come and go as he pleases.

Much of Noah’s day is spent going between home, school and multiple doctor appointments. It’s tiring. Sometimes it feels like his play area outside is his only relief from it all, said his mom.

“I just love to see the look of joy on my son’s face when he’s out there,” she said.

Each year ‘Sailors for Wishes’ is a fun and rewarding adventure for the participating crew.

This year, on Aug. 6, 13 sailors started cycling in Shediac, NB, split up into two teams, and then, over the next week, toured different communities in New Brunswick getting up to various fundraising hijinks along the way.

They did anything to get cash for Children’s Wish Foundation. They held ‘dance with a sailor for a donation’ at local pubs, 50-50 draws, dragged fire engines with both American and Canadian firefighters at the St. Stephens International Fire Truck Pull, and marched in the St. John’s Pride parade.

They even just straight-up stopped traffic and asked for cash.

When the two teams rejoined in Fredericton for the campaign ceremony on Aug. 14, they had collected $32,000 cash donations. Further online and organizational donations are still rolling in.