SPANISH FORK, Utah — A 10-year-old Utah cancer survivor was back in the classroom for the first time in nearly a year.
Luke Fowles is battling a rare form of the disease, but he’s now well enough to go back to school. About a year-and-a-half ago, then nine-year-old Luke was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer that begins in muscles attached to bones.
Word of Luke's battle with the disease quickly made its way around Utah County.
On Monday, with Luke in remission, some local first responders made sure his first day back to school was memorable.
Officers with the Salem Police Department, local paramedics and some Utah County Sheriff's deputies gave Luke and his family a full motorcade escort back to Foothills Elementary.
It’s a day the family says they’ll likely never forget.
“Never thought the first day of school would be as momentous as this,” said Tim Fowles, Luke's father.
“Called us last night and said, you know we want to send Luke to his first day with a bang! And this has been such a memorable moment for our family," said Luke's mother, Kristin. "Was he excited? Oh yeah he’s so excited!”
Excited and a little overwhelmed by all the attention, especially the television camera; so Luke politely declined comment and made his way into school.
His mother says his biggest concern now is letting his classmates rest easy that what he has they can’t catch and he just wants to be treated like a normal kid again.
As for the first responder escort, Sgt. Spencer Cannon with the Utah County Sheriff's Office says there was no trouble rounding up volunteers. He said with all the tragic incidents they deal with on a daily basis, something like this helps pick up everyone’s spirits.
Meanwhile, Luke's parents say they want to thank those who took part in Monday’s motorcade, and everyone in the community who have been so supportive during this very difficult time.
