BOSTON (WHDH) - Passengers on the Amtrak from Boston to New York City were assisted by a special conductor Wednesday morning who is much younger than anyone anticipated.
Eight-year-old Alex Young of Whitman is living with a spinal cord tumor but with the help of the Make A Wish Foundation, he was able to leave his cares on the platform and take the ride of a lifetime.
Alex adjusted quickly to his new role, waving at trains inbound to South Station.
“It means a lot,” said Alex. “Trains are awesome and I like them!”
A few years ago, doctors found the tumors on his spine and Alex had to undergo several different surgeries to have them removed. His grandma, Kathleen Young said despite everything, his fight is not over.
“In March of 2021, they showed up again, but they’re very, very tiny and too small to operate. He’s on chemo regularly. He’s my little peanut,” she said kissing her young grandson.
The Make A Wish Foundations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Metro New York along with Amtrak officials worked together to make the wish possible. They held a special ceremony for Alex before he boarded the train and gifted him with a whole bunch of goodies including a toy train and a special conductor’s uniform.
The wish was supposed to be granted years ago but got delayed because of his surgeries and then the pandemic. His grandma said it hasn’t been easy.
“It’s constant,” she said. “He’s in the clinic all the time being checked. So this is like a little break for all of us.”
Alex and his family will spend the night in New York City and will get a tour of Grand Central Station on Thursday before coming back home.
“I’m most looking forward to riding a train. I never drove one before,” the young conductor said.
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