Deputies Make Sick Little Boy's Dream Come True

LAND O’ LAKES, FL — When a deputy knocks on a front door, chances are the news that will follow won’t be good.

That wasn’t the case in Land O’ Lakes Thursday when several Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies paid Eric Piburn a visit. The 9-year-old boy suffers from a cardio-pulmonary condition called tetralogy of fallot with pulmonary atresia. To treat the condition so far, Eric’s had to undergo four heart surgeries and is now waiting for a heart and lung transplant.

It seems the sheriff’s office heard about Eric’s courageous battle and also learned that he “loves police cars.” Hoping to put a smile on his face, deputies brought out “the biggest police car we have” to the child’s home, the agency explained on its Facebook page.

If an ear-to-ear grin is any indication, the mission was a success.

As Eric awaits a transplant, his family has set up a GoFundMe account to offset some of the costs associated with his care. As of Friday morning, nearly $8,500 of a targeted $25,000 had been raised. To learn more about Eric and how to help, visit GoFundMe online.

Photos courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office

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