Firefighters surprise cancer patient at Riley Hospital during bell ringing ceremony
Dec 13, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS After 860 days of chemotherapy, 17-year-old Benny Ray rang the bell at Riley Hospital for Children to celebrate the end of his leukemia treatment but his day was made even more special by a familiar surprise. 40 firefighters from the Plainfield Fire Department came to support Benny and meet the other patients at the hospital. They even arrived in a firetruck. Benny's dad, Michael Ray is a 17-year veteran of the department. "I don't know how people go through this without this kind of support but I know for the others who are still going through this I pray there's a light at the end of the tunnel," Michael Ray said. "Everybody should be able to ring this bell and if not, let life shine through you no matter what that's what [Benny's] done." "I'm like overwhelmed with emotions like I don't know what to think that's the best way to put it like I'm so beyond happy," Benny said. "I have quite literally dreamed about it, like ringing the bell and finally being done, not having to get stabbed with a needle, being done with it all." The hospital said Benny hopes to follow in his dad's footsteps and be a firefighter one day.