(Pocatello television station KPVI posted the following story on its website on August 8.)
POCATELLO, Idaho — A little boy’s love of choo-choo trains was turned into a hands-on reality ride through Pocatello.
For one day, the Union Pacific railroad let 4-year-old Andrew Nelson take the reigns and sit in the conductor’s chair for a ride from Pocatello to McCammon. Last year Andrew was diagnosed with cancer of the nervous system and his family and friends say they want to make his last days exciting and memorable ones.
Mark Nelson, Andrew’s father, said: “We’re really looking for him to live as much as he can in the next few weeks. For me, it was a wonderful feeling to see him get to do something that was very special just for him, and exciting since trains are an important thing for him.”
Nelson says Andrew has level four Neuroblastoma and they have opted not to put him through treatment because it will be too painful for him.