This was one of the top stories on Strathmore Now in 2021 and it is no surprise why! 

 

Original story posted Monday, Nov. 1

 

Thanks to a simple act of kindness 5-year-old Ethan Baker has had his best Halloween ever!

Ethan's older brother R.J. decided this year he wanted to do a "together costume" with his brother their mom Brandee explained, "As soon as he said Mario and Luigi I was like we have to find a wheelchair costume and I tried everywhere I tried to get everyone to help me," unfortunately Brandee was not having much luck. 

Ethan has Cerebal Palsey and currently has to use a wheelchair so finding a costume hasn't always been easy, but for the Baker family this year thanks to the kindness of a local businessman Ethan was able to take on the role of Luigi in grand style.

After Ethan's dad built the frame for his wheelchair Brandee reached out to the owner of Ignition Clothing Company Paul Trozzo who she had worked with in the past to help design Ethan's costume, "I'd use Paul once in the summer for a custom shirt. I just thought on a whim I'd ask him, then he refused to charge me,  he donated it all."

As a mom, Brandee said she just wants her kids to be happy and this was a day where their family could just put everything aside and have a great day, "It was just the most amazing experience he literally made my kids dream come true, he started crying when he came outside and saw it because he thought he was just going in his plain old wheelchair."  Along with his great costume, he had the iconic coin box to collect all of his candy until it was full, then he had to dump it in his candy bag so he could get it refilled she said.

In the past, Ethan has been Batman and Spiderman a couple of classics, but this year teaming up with his brother was something very special for the Baker family, "Every house he could only go up to the bottom of the stairs and then his brother would go to the door and say come see my brother's cool costume," and Ethan was sure to let everyone know that he definitely had the coolest wheelchair ever.

It has not been an easy few years for the Baker family, Brandee is battling cancer right now and she is staying positive, she explained it is acts of kindness like this that remind her why she is fighting so hard.

Brandee explained that Ethan is independent and a fighter too and since he has been working with his physiotherapist at school he has taken his first proper step from his table to the couch, and he makes sure everyone knows that he is going to be a surgeon when he grows up.  Nothing is holding Ethan back she said, and they wanted to share what Paul had done simply saying that small act changed her son's life and a moment like yesterday is something that their family will never forget.