Clifton Park Child Battling Health Issues Becomes Honorary Firefighter

A Clifton Park child has been battling a very serious disease since he's been born but on Saturday, he became a part of something bigger.

10-year-old Patrick Kane of Clifton Park was honorarily sworn into the Vischer Ferry Volunteer Fire Company on Saturday.

Patrick was born two months premature because his kidneys were shutting down. He's had to go through a kidney transplant and also battles Crohn's Disease, according to News10. The VFVFC swore Patrick in during a ceremony on Saturday that his parents, sister, teachers, and other local officials attended.

With his new honorary position, they gave him a tour of the trucks and equipment, he said: "they showed me, like, pretty much everything." After he was sworn in, Patrick went on his first fire call to Okte Elementary School, where he's a 5th grader.

Patrick and his family only moved here about a year and a half ago. Even through his struggles, his family is grateful for how the Capital Region has embraced their family. His mom said, “Being able to do something fun, do something exciting, just for him, activities that he probably will not be able to engage in later in life...it's just been wonderful.”