8-Year-Old Tulsa Boy Battling Cancer Receives Special Birthday Celebration: 'Tonight Was A Great Moment'

Dozens of people, including several first responders, helped a Tulsa boy celebrate his eighth birthday in style.

Hayes Ruch can't have a traditional birthday this year because he's fighting cancer, so his mom asked people to drive by and boy, did they!

Ruch’s mother, Eileen Davis, says she was blown away by all the people who came to show their support for her little boy, and it made him feel so loved.

Davis says he misses spending time with his friends because he can’t be around people since his immune system is compromised.

She still wanted him to have a special birthday.

"He misses being normal,” said Davis. “We don't use normal anymore, and he misses it. So I knew he would enjoy seeing all these people show up for him today because it's lonely when you're battling cancer."

Dozens of people, including police officers, firefighters, and paramedics drove by and honked their horns to show their support.

Even the TPD helicopter made an appearance.

Ruch also got the one present he's always wanted, a pug puppy named Charlie.

"Today, I asked him, I said, if you could have one birthday present that you don't think you're going to get, he said it would be Charlie,” said Davis.

Davis says she hopes parties like this bring awareness to the challenges kids like Ruch face every day.

"Really, they're kind of tucked away and hidden, because childhood cancer isn't very fun,” said Davis. “But this is reality. It's birthday parties on the sidewalk, as people drive by because you can't have anyone around."

She hopes this party will be a happy memory for him during a tough time.

"In our community, with childhood cancer, you're always told to live in the moment, because you don't know what could happen,” said Davis. “Tonight was a great moment. I hope it will be a memory he has forever."

Ruch’s birthday is actually on Saturday, but they celebrated on Tuesday because he’ll be getting chemotherapy that day.