‘Moment of pure magic’: Oklahoma paramedics take detour to McDonald’s for 6-year-old cancer patient
By Jonathan Greco
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — An Oklahoma mother is praising paramedics who helped put a smile on her 6-year-old son’s face while on their way to a hospital.
Natalie McGee told KOCO 5 that her son was diagnosed with acute leukemia on Dec. 12. Recently, she said he was rushed to a local emergency room after he experienced chest pain and a very irregular heartbeat.
According to McGee, doctors decided that the boy needed to be taken to Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health in Oklahoma City, where he receives his treatment.
While the paramedics prepared the 6-year-old to be transported, he asked them if they could stop at McDonald’s. Although McGee told him that the trip probably wasn’t going to happen, she said a paramedic told him that “you’re going to have to ask the boss man.”
Another paramedic walked in, and McGee’s son asked him the same question. The paramedic then spoke with the doctor, and they said they could stop for McDonald’s before heading to the hospital.
The ambulance went to a nearby McDonald’s, and the paramedics wheeled in the 6-year-old boy on a stretcher so he could order a cheeseburger Happy Meal with extra fries and a Sprite.
“He was completely stunned. He kept asking if it was real, if this was actually happening. That one small act of kindness turned one of the scariest nights of our lives into a moment of pure magic,” McGee told KOCO 5. “Those paramedics didn’t just transport my child—they gave him joy, dignity, and a memory we will carry forever. In the middle of cancer, sirens, and fear, they made space for childhood. I would love the opportunity to share this story as a reminder of the compassion and humanity our first responders bring to families during their darkest moments.”
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