Los Angeles

Boy Born With Rare Condition Gets Make-A-Wish Dream Come True With Help of LAPD

Noah Cohen was born with VACTERL association, a rare condition that prevents his organs from functioning properly.

An 8-year-old boy from Vermont born with a rare condition is getting the chance of a lifetime with the help of the Make-Wish-Foundation and Los Angeles police officers and firefighters.

Noah Cohen was born with VACTERL association, a rare condition that prevents his organs from functioning properly. He's had nearly two dozen surgeries since birth due to his condition, says his mother Amy Cohen.

"His health condition will be ongoing needs but this has been really great to have something that's been totally focused on pure joy and happiness," Amy says.

Having so much exposure to medical personnel may be one of the reasons he loves to watch reruns of "Emergency", NBC's television series in the 1970s about firemen and paramedics in Los Angeles.

The show has him excited about LA, and he plays a lot of video games that are emergency related and taking place in the city, his mother says.

It's also one of the reasons he's choosing to hang with LA cops and firefighters for his two-day Make-A-Wish adventure.

His father, Matt Cohen, says despite not knowing where LA is, it was the first thing on Noah's mind when Make-A-Wish approached the family.

Noah's wish is something LA city officials welcomed with open arms.

The LA County Fire Museum plans to bring the original fire engine and squad from "Emergency" to the LA County Fire Station in Carson Friday for Noah.

He's spending Thursday taking a tour at the Davis Training Facility in Granada Hills and two separate ride-alongs, including one on an airship, according to a LAPD news release.

Officers let him sit in a simulator and feel what it was like to be on police chase through the streets of LA.

"It's the ride of my life," Noah says. "We were like spinning around and we were in a cop car and now I got to arrest the suspect."

It's a dream come true for the 8-year-old.

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