The ride of a lifetime at Children’s Hospital: patient wins drawing to go up in hospital’s hot air balloon
Ten-year-old Brenden Ricci, a patient from St. Louis Children’s Hospital, was on cloud nine at the Great Forest Park Balloon Race — literally.
After celebrating his birthday Sept. 12, he got the present of a lifetime just three days later: He won a drawing to fly in the hospital’s hot air balloon with his father, Joe, and pilot Ken Schroeder.
"You couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face," says Brenden’s mother, Christy Ricci, from Bethalto, Ill. "He was having so much fun, he even told the pilot to go higher. The one thing Brenden wanted to do while he was up there was to spit and watch it fall — like any young boy would — and the pilot told him that’s what they do to see which way the wind is blowing."
The wind wasn’t blowing much. The hospital’s balloon floated north above Kingshighway for about a mile. When it landed on a vacant lot, Schroeder broke out the bubbly grape juice and made a toast to their ride. Brenden, who wants to be a pilot someday himself, received the juice bottle and a T-shirt as souvenirs.
In August, Brenden underwent further surgery for a cleft lip and palate, an opening in the roof of the mouth. He had major surgery for the condition as a baby. The surgery gives Brenden confidence in his appearance and makes it easier for him to eat and drink.
The hospital celebrated 3,000 cleft lip and palate surgeries by holding a special party at the balloon race for about 100 patients, families and plastic and reconstructive surgery staff. It was the fourth year for the party, which was thrown for cancer and transplant patients in previous years.
The celebrants also had a front-row seat to view a spectacular launch of about 70 balloons. Like greyhounds at a racetrack, the balloons chase the Energizer Bunny balloon, which lifts off first. The balloon that lands closest to the bunny’s landing spot wins the race.
Christy Ricci watched the balloon race from the ground with Brenden’s little brother, Nathan. "I told Dr. (Alex) Kane that I didn’t know how to express our thanks for everything that people at the hospital have done for our son. Words just seem insufficient. There’s no other hospital that we take our boys to."
