Westchester County first responders bring holiday cheer to children in hospital
NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Madison Pasquale stepped out of maria fareri children’s hospital for the first time in a week with her mom, Sabrina, to quickly glimpse Santa.
"It's that therapy that we need, to feel like even though we’re in the hospital, it's still Christmas, it's still the holidays, right? So this was special, this was amazing," said Sabrina.
First responders across Westchester and Putnam decked out their vehicles for Good Night Lights, an annual holiday ride around the hospital, bringing Christmas cheer to patients who can’t come outside.
"It's an absolute joy, and it's amazing to bring them a little bit of happiness. Hopefully they can get their minds off the problems that they're dealing with for a little while and be happy, so that's our goal," said Dave Dirienzo from the Westchester Police Department.
"They're thrilled to pieces. They look at the characters waving their wands, excited that Santa came here, the Grinch came here," said Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Director Tricia Hiller
The extra dose of holiday cheer is, in a way, its own medicine.
"It kind of offsets a little bit of the hard things that they're going through. It makes them kids. And for the parents to see their kids happy and smiling while they're here, you can't beat that," said Hiller.