Members of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio surprised an eight-year-old girl battling stage four brain cancer with a ride on a “unicorn.”
The Journal-News of Butler County reported that eight-year-old Naomi Short was surprised last Saturday afternoon when she walked into Hamilton Fire Station 26 and found a horse covered in decorations to make it look like a unicorn.
Her mother, Melissa, held her hand as the two walked toward the white horse wearing pink flowers and silver sparkles on her hooves.
“This is a real unicorn,” Naomi said, before riding the horse around the fire station’s bay. The ride was supposed to take place at Naomi’s house, but it had to be moved due to inclement weather.
Deputies from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office also gave her two stuffed animals.
“I want one of my own so bad,” she said of the horse. “But I couldn’t take care of it because of the chemo.”
Naomi said she always wanted to ride a unicorn, adding that it was a “bucket list item” for her.
When asked if she was scared to ride a horse, she quickly responded, “It’s a unicorn.”
The town of Hamilton has pitched in to help Naomi and her family in other ways too.
Small businesses throughout the town have set up donation jars to help offset the family’s medical expenses, and teachers and students have worn blue in solidarity with Naomi, CBS News reported.
“My dream is to just get like every treatment over with and to just hang out with my friends again,” Naomi told CBS News.