First responders in Butte, Montana, recently gave a five-year-old cancer patient a parade he will never forget.
Michael “Hulk” Schow is fighting his second battle with a rare form of cancer known as rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), NBC Montana reported.
The cancer forms in soft tissue and can occur at any age but most often affects children, according to the Mayo Clinic’s website.
His father, Michael Schow, told NBC that his son beat cancer when he was three, but doctors informed them two months ago it has returned.
“He had seven surgeries counting biopsies, 20 rounds of radiation and a year and a half of chemo,” Michael said of Hulk’s first battle with RMS, adding that he rang the cancer-free bell last year.
In September 2019, the Butte Police Department shared photos of Hulk with first responders in Salt Lake City after he rang the bell:
The cancer returned recently, near Hulk’s right eye, and he underwent surgery to remove as much of it as possible.
Thankfully, doctors were able to save his eye.
“They’re sure he can beat it again, but it will come back,” his dad noted. “Each time it’ll be more resistant to treatment.”
As an epic sendoff before his second trip to Salt Lake City for radiation, the Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement recently joined with other first responders in the area to give him a parade, complete with flashing lights and blaring sirens:
Prior to the event, Hulk was made an honorary officer.
“The police, fire department, animal shelter and ambulance have all given him jobs — and Hulk takes these jobs extremely serious,” Michael explained.
“What we would call distractions are his life, his job. He has a reason to live every day, so he is going to. I believe that as soon as anyone loses their purpose in life, then they fade fast. Butte’s finest gave him his purpose, and he’s really good at it,” he concluded.