Emergency Lights On: Local Police Officers Brighten Boy's Night With Parade

PLAINFIELD, IL — Local police departments gathered Wednesday night to celebrate Plainfield Police Department's honorary police officer Breckin VanHyning, a 7-year-old boy who was diagnosed with brain cancer in December. At 7 p.m., officers activated the emergency lights on their squad cars and drove past the boy's house in Channahon to "brighten [his] spirits."

The "Parade of Lights" took off at Minooka South High School and traveled past Breckin's house a short distance away. More than 100 squad cars, some driven by off-duty police, came to celebrate the boy at the parade that was organized a mere two days in advance.

"I'm still dumbstruck at how many people showed up on such short notice," said Dean Klier, a patrol officer with the Plainfield Police Department and Breckin's neighbor.

Kim, Breckin's mom, said when Klier first suggested the parade, she expected a gathering of about 10 cars. Klier, she said, estimated about 25-30 cars to show up. But both guesses were wrong, as almost quadruple the amount showed up.

"He had the biggest smile," she said. "He was so excited."

Police officers and troopers from across the Chicagoland area came out to surprise and support the 7-year-old Wednesday. Kim said departments that came spanned from nearby Plainfield, Shorewood and Joliet to Algonquin, Des Plaines and Glendale Heights, among others. Breckin collects police badges and challenge coins, so he was gifted many that night.

A boy who lives near the VanHyning family also shot a drone video of the parade, which Kim said was "amazing, but 'amazing' is an understatement of that night. It surpassed all our expectations."

"[Breckin is] so happy and he isn't afraid," she said, adding she's grateful her son has been able to live out his bucket list. "[Police officers have] given him so much strength through this," Kim said.

Last December, Breckin was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer that can stem in the brain or spinal cord. He was 6 years old at the time and recently turned 7, on Sept. 11.

His parents and two siblings — an older sister and a twin sister — surround Breckin with love and support. And Cooper, the family's 3-year-old bulldog who Breckin considers his "doctor dog," frequently checks in on Breckin and sleeps with him, Kim said.

Through it all, Kim and Klier both attest to his strength and vivaciousness.

"He's an awesome kid," Klier said. "We hope that in our work we can be half as tough as this kid. Not once has he complained about a thing. ... It's unbelievable how precious life is."

Klier first met his "little BFF" when he and his family moved to Channahon about a year ago and became neighbors with the VanHyning's, he said. Since then, Breckin has taken part in "dudes' day" with Klier and loves going to his house, his mom said.

"Literally the first night they met," Kim said Breckin even married Klier's daughter in a mock wedding held in the driveway.

Breckin's mom said he always wanted to be a police officer, and Klier echoed the sentiment to say, "You should see the smile on that kid when he sees a police car [drive by]." He helped make his newfound friend's dreams come true when Breckin was sworn in as an honorary police officer with the Plainfield Police Department, an idea he said everyone was "quickly on board with."

"We never knew that when we moved in here we'd have a purpose," Klier said. "It's weird how things work out. He's an awesome kid."

He got to participate in a mock arrest, take mug shots and interrogate someone who stole candy from the candy jar. He even has his own PPD uniform, complete with his last name on the back and his own badge number.

When he can, Breckin joins Klier to visit the police station on weekends and has taken a "big liking to a couple of my coworkers," the patrol officer said.

"He has really lived life these last 10 months," Kim said. "He's really done some amazing things ... and people have shown us how much good there still is in this world."

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