10-year-old Floyds Knobs boy battling rare cancer celebrates birthday with special parade

FLOYD KNOBS, Ind. (WDRB) -- It was the best birthday party ever for a 10-year-old in Floyds Knobs, even if the circumstances looked a little different.

Jacoby Christie kicked off a new decade with a birthday parade.

Christie is fighting stage four of a rare childhood cancer. Because of this, he's immunocompromised, but his family and friends wanted to make sure he had a party just as extravagant as the years before.

Dressing up in western gear for a hoedown, to putting on shark costumes from down under, friends of the 10-year-old came out in costume as they drove past Jacoby, sitting outside Floyds Knobs Elementary School.

"That's amazing," he said as cars passed.

Even superheroes brought the celebration to a whole new level. Some dressed up as characters like Iron Man. Then real life superheroes, like police officers and firefighters, showed up with lights flashing.

"Just being here for me is all I need," the boy said.

Christie has stage 4 embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, with masses situated behind his abdomen. 

"He was diagnosed in June, he had three pretty significant masses in his abdomen and they've shrunk a lot with chemo so we're really encouraged," said his mom, Pamela Christie.

It was her idea to throw her son a birthday parade.

"He is my only child, my miracle baby, so I always want to make his birthday super special," Pamela Christie said. "So when I knew we couldn't have a birthday party, I was trying to come up with a creative solution for that, and I remember during COVID I saw that some people were doing drive-by parades, and so I thought that might be a good solution."

While it was her idea, it was the community that brought Jacoby many smiles, and saying thank you over and over again.

"Today's been a great day," he said.

Starting Monday, he will begin 28 rounds of radiation.

Between the treatments, Jacoby is faced with some rough days, but found reasons to smile on Friday.

He's ready to beat cancer, celebrate more birthdays, and will always remember the day he turned ten.

"It was amazing, I don't think I'll ever forget today," he said.

To keep up with Jacoby's progress, click here to be directed to the "Jacoby Strong" Facebook page.