Child cancer survivor spends the day as U.S. Air Force cadet

A lot of kids look up to firefighters. While his suit doesn’t quite fit yet, 7-year-old Benny Remmer is ready to take the job on now.

“Getting to squirt the hose,” said Benny Remmer, cadet for a day. “Because I got to squirt it and it squirted really far.

Though his dad says his new career path maybe inspired by today.

“I think that was more for the camera,” his father, Randy, said. “I hadn’t heard that before, but he has expressed wanting to be a cadet, so that’s cool.”

Benny spent the day as an Air Force Cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

It’s made possible through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Benny qualifies. He just fought and won a battle with cancer.

“You think it’s bad thing, but he has nothing but great memories from all of it. This was just a pleasant surprise when the Air Force Academy called us,” Randy Remmer said. “Truthfully out of the blue we had no idea it was coming.”

“As cadets, we don’t think it’s that humbling. But when they come in, it’s humbling, not just for us as a staff, but the whole wing,” said Cadet Chloe Donoho, who helped organize Benny’s visit.

His dad admits he probably doesn’t grasp the gravity of this opportunity.

“You could see it in his face, just overwhelmed by it all. The flight suit with his name on it, all the cadets and the people helping out it’s just been awesome,” Remmer said.

But Benny’s just having a blast with his new fellow cadets.

“I was really happy. Because I was going to get to do all of this,” he said.

He’s Cadet Remmer for a day, at least for now.

Benny also spent the day at the chemistry lab, with the basketball team and had a pizza party.

Tomorrow he’ll tailgate with his squadron at Falcon Stadium.