Trucker Dukes will be sworn into the New York City Fire Department as an honorary firefighter in an oath ceremony led by Daniel A. Nigro, the 33rd Fire Commissioner on May 31, 2016 at the FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn, NY.
“This honor is so special to us because Trucker-Boy really thinks he’s a fireman,” Shauna Dukes, Trucker’s mom said. “We are so blessed to have been adopted by the FDNY. Time and time again, I have watched big tough men fall in love with Trucker. It’s really something special.”
Three-year-old Trucker Dukes, from Maui, Hawaii, is a patient at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York. At 19-months-old he was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma and transferred treatment to MSK where they specialize in Neuroblastoma. Recently, Humans of New York (HONY) began featuring stories from the Pediatric Department of MSK and has raised more than $1 million for the department in 10 days.
Joshua Dukes, Trucker’s dad, is a Maui firefighter and continues to work in Hawaii while their three older children attend school on Maui. Trucker and his mom travel between New York and Maui for treatments. While walking in Manhattan, they met FDNY Captain Jim Grismer after he exited Engine 22 on a call to the Ronald McDonald House.
“I see this little boy excitedly walking towards me with his eyes aglow. I opened my arms and he basically climbed up and hugged me around the neck,” said FDNY Captain Jim Grismer. “It was as if we’ve been friends/brothers for years.”
Grismer and other firefighters began inviting them to visit firehouses. When Trucker turned three, firefighters from FDNY Engine 22, Ladder 13, Battalion 10 hosted Trucker and his mom for a birthday party at their firehouse.
Trucker is part of a clinical trial at MSK for brain relapse in Neuroblastoma patients and returns to New York for more treatment in time for the ceremony.
About Team Trucker
Team Trucker began on Facebook in December 2014 as a way to support the Dukes by sharing Trucker’s journey. Today, there are more than 19,000 followers from all over the world at www.facebook.com/
Friends are raising money to pay for air travel from Hawaii to New York so Trucker’s dad and siblings can attend the ceremony. Donations can be made directly to any Bank of Hawaii branch to the “Trucker Dukes Cancer Fund” or online at www.TeamTrucker.org or by texting any amount to 808-725-2996.
