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Fire Trucks to Carry the Casket of 4 Year-old Breylon Senn

Posted at 9:21 PM, Feb 15, 2013
and last updated 2013-02-15 22:54:42-05

HOWARD CITY, Mich.- Breylon Senn, 4, of Howard City, lost his battle with Mitochondrial Disease on Friday, Feb. 15. It’s a disease that attacks the organs and eventually causes them to fail.

Since July of 2012, FOX 17 has followed the Senn family, who also has a now 1 year-old daughter, Brynlee, with ‘Mito’. FOX 17 was able to urge viewers to “Pay it Forward” and donate to the family so they could see a specialist in Atlanta. The outcome was bittersweet; the outlook was hopeful for Brynlee while Brey’s time was going to be limited.

In September, the family put on a 5K with all of the proceeds going to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation-Breylon Senn Research Fund. Even Brey got pushed across the finish line, hands flying in the air, in his wheelchair. Brey was able to go home for Christmas and his parents were told it would be his last hospital stay because there’s nothing more that doctors could do. He was put on hospice with nurses keeping him comfortable with pain medicines.

One of Brey’s wishes was to ride on a fire truck. Recently, a fire helmet and uniform was retired and given to Brey at home.

On Friday, Brey took his final breath; funeral plans already put into place. They include the Stanton Fire Department making good on Brey’s wish to ride on a truck. The hoses on top of the truck will be moved out-of-the-way, so his casket can be placed on top.

“It’s pretty much reserved for those line of duty deaths and things like that, so for Breylon it should be a pretty good honor and it’s not something  that we do for just anybody, but given his circumstance we made the exception.” Lt. Brandon Stowell said.

Brey’s visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Hurst Funeral Home in Greenville. Funeral services are set for 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 18 at Trinity Church, Stanton with a luncheon following at the Stanton First Baptist Church gym. Those in attendance are encouraged to wear green in honor of Mitochondrial Disease Awareness. Those wishing to donate can give to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation-Breylon Senn Research Fund.