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| Make a Fantasy Come True |
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| Broderick's Fantasy |
| "My Fantasy Came True" |
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| CITYMAYOR-1 Ferries QUAD-City Mayor on Special Fantasy Flight |
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| Broderick Nixon became a senior last month at Willis High School. On his first day as a high school senior, this 17-year-old flew his way into the book of world records, welcomed as the ranking ?senior? city official in FOUR east Texas cities as their honorary ?Mayor for a Day.? On the SAME day in EACH city: Willis, Conroe, Brenham, and Tomball. |
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FantasyKids.com waved its magic wand on learning that Broderick, who has some limitations due to cerebral palsy, wanted to fly in a small, private airplane. Committed to giving youngsters afflicted with major medical problems a fantastic day to remember and to brag about for months and years to come, FantasyKids.com special angels hatched a plan: Why not make every arrival and departure a special event? |
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| The city leadership in each of these cities stepped forward with their contribution: Broderick Nixon will be named the honorary ?Mayor for a Day? wherever he set foot! |
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Broderick left his Willis home at 9:30 on that Friday morning, arriving at Lone Star Executive Airport. A Conroe Police Patrol Supervisor welcomed their honorary ?new mayor? with a brief ceremony and presentation of a plaque representing the |
| key to Conroe. Then, Broderick was helped into the 2-seat Ercoupe general aviation airplane that served as his ?official vehicle? for the day ? call-sign ?CITYMAYOR-1? ? and he served as a flying ?co-pilot? for the 50-mile flight to Brenham, after a brief weather delay. |
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'CITYMAYOR-1? touched down in Brenham shortly before lunch, to a welcoming ceremony hosted by one of Brenham?s city councilmen ..... and attractive ?Pink Poodle? waitresses from the Southern Flyer diner at the airport. After reading of the |
| official proclamation and presentation of a plaque representing the key to Brenham, Broderick was named their honorary ?Mayor for a Day? ? and treated to a fine chicken fried steak lunch at the diner. |
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| The disease Ben has was not confirmed until after the amputation. He had a rare disease called Polyarteritis Nodosa, which affects the medium arteries in a person?s body. |
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Back into his ?official vehicle,? Broderick took off for the 44-mile flight to Tomball, at the controls for much of the trip in the small general aviation plane, which was designed in the mid-1930s. The Ercoupe has long been a favored choice of pilots with |
| leg limitations because the control system was designed to coordinate the plane steering surfaces in a balanced fashion without the use of ?rudder pedals.? Basically, the pilot ?steers? the plane through the air like a car drives down the street. Broderick?s 100-hp air limousine actually does have a rudder conversion kit and the pedals were to be operated by the pilot while ?the Mayor,? sitting in the co-pilot seat, learned to use the steering yoke. |
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Arriving at David Wayne Hooks Airport in Tomball just after 1 pm, Broderick was greeted by representatives from the mayor?s office where ?.. yes ? once again ? he was hosted to a welcoming ceremony as their honorary ?Mayor for a Day? and given yet another plaque representing the key to their city. |
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'CITYMAYOR-1? lifted off from Tomball?s David Wayne Hooks Airport at 1:30 pm to fly over the city of Willis, locating his home from the air, then returned to Conroe?s Lone Star Executive Airport. Broderick was met by a Willis Police Lieutenant, who assisted him out of the airplane and into the front seat of the patrol cruiser for the lights-and-siren ride into the cleared streets of downtown Willis, to a reception at the city hall. Where ? yes, once again ? he was hosted to an afternoon welcoming ceremony as their honorary ?Mayor for a Day? ... and given yet another personalized plaque representing the key to his home city.
Broderick?s ?take? on the day: ?The next time I fly, I?m gonna wear my bathing suit ? it?s hot in there!? After hopping through the southeast Texas skies, he had come home with treasures to last a lifetime, reminding him of four cities that each put their best foot forward to make his special fantasy come true. |
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Broderick Nixon is a fine young man who lives at home with his mother and two brothers. He is independent with most daily tasks and uses a power wheelchair to socialize throughout Willis High School and his community. On Friday, May 28th, Willis literally became his community. As did Conroe. And Brenham. And Tomball, too! After this, what does the |
| future hold? After high school graduation in May 2005, Broderick will attend college to study ...... well, he?s still thinking about that, maybe American history. His favorite hobbies include listening to music, playing video games, shopping, and socializing with girls. He loves a good McDonald?s cheeseburger and has developed a love for hot wings at BW3?s. Broderick is a fine young man with untapped and unlimited potential. After all, how many mayors do you know? Okay ? so how many mayor-mayor-mayor-mayors do you know? |
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FantasyKids.com is happy to make possible the fulfillment of this fantasy ? literally a dream come true. Do you know of children or teens who have a special fantasy? Share with us at www.fantasykids.com. We?re happy to acknowledge the contribution of one of our angels, Ercoupe pilot John Parks Trowbridge, who served as Mayor Broderick Nixon?s official air chauffeur for the day. |
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"Thanks, John! We couldn't have done it without you."
--FantasyKids.com-- |
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