Baldwinsville, N.Y. -- Cooper Rebuck hid behind his mother’s leg as cars drove past his house Friday evening.
It was his sixth birthday. He was supposed to be at Fun Warehouse Laser Tag and Arcade in Camillus to celebrate, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, his mom, Erin Raymond, had to figure out a different way to throw a party.
The goal was to have different vehicles drive by as if it was a parade because Cooper loves playing with toy cars.
Once he began to recognize some of his family and friends, it dawned on him that the honking, balloons and banners that read, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOPER!” were made just for him. He began to get excited.
One by one, SUVs, trucks, and convertibles of different colors and styles made their way down Dunham Road — each with their horns blasting. Cooper’s favorite was an old-fashioned fire truck with one siren on the roof that was driven by a friend of the family.
Most of the 19 vehicles that drove by came bearing gifts. Some of the passengers — which included Raymond’s coworkers — threw candy, toys and even birthday cards with money.
Raymond, 43, wanted to do something special for her son’s fifth birthday in 2019, but a family emergency caused her and the rest of the family to travel to Pittsburgh.
After Fun Warehouse and Laser Tag closed temporarily, Raymond and her boyfriend came up with the idea to have a parade. They used a local Facebook page geared toward Baldwinsville residents to spread the word.
After the parade, a birthday cake made from Oreo’s was waiting on Cooper at the kitchen table. He blew out the candles and made a wish, but forgot what it was. He hopes it still comes true, says his mother.
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