Community throws Christmas parade for child with cancer

GIRDLETREE, Md. — A Maryland boy fighting cancer was treated to a special Christmas parade. 200 cars, trucks and floats and 97 participating organizations all gathered for 11-year-old Jake Newcomer.

"I had no idea it was going to be this huge. Words can't even describe how happy it made me," Newcomer told WBOC. His stepdad Aren Schoepf says just before Thanksgiving, Newcomer had a bump on his cheek. That bruise was later discovered to be a tumor that carried stage four bone cancer.

With chemotherapy starting quickly after that, Newcomer was upset he was going to miss the nearby Berlin Christmas parade. "I thought there was always next year, but when my mom pitched the idea to throw our own, I didn't think she was serious," said Newcomer. Their little idea became a big deal pretty fast, as word got out.

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It was just going to be like a little parade for him, I didn't tell him not too much. I wanted him to be surprised. He was speechless, all of us are speechless, his mom, me. I can't thank everyone enough," said Schoepf. Law enforcement and community members lined up with well wishes and gifts. "With all the people around me, I wouldn't want to go through this any other way," said Newcomer.

"He's a really positive kid, he's a really strong kid. He's getting us through it. He's staying positive, we're staying positive," said Schoepf. Showing the spirit of giving this holiday season as the community rallies behind to make this a Christmas Newcomer will cherish forever.

Newcomer is scheduled to have his third round of treatments next week at Johns Hopkins.

CNN/WBOC