Young boy battling cancer takes break from treatment to drive trash truck

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Some special elves helped make a rare holiday home from the hospital extra special for a young boy in Kansas.

Santa and some of his helpers gathered at Lawrence Sanitation Department 320 to help make young Dragen Korynta's dream of becoming a trash truck driver come true.

"Every birthday, Christmas that's all he wants," Evan Korynta, Dagen's dad, told Fox 4. "Garbage trucks, model garbage trucks, he watches videos of garbage trucks."

The city of Lawrence and an anonymous donor known as "The Chief Elf" helped make Saturday's special delivery possible.

"They had heard about Dagen's story from Children's Mercy and wanted to do something for the holidays," Korynta said.

According to Dagen's father, the young boy has been through multiple bone marrow transplants and has spent nearly six months in the hospital doing various chemo treatments and dealing with all the side effects that come with treatments.

The personalized trash truck delivered by the Lawrence Sanitation Department helped Dagen finally enjoy a day away from the hospital.

Dagen may not get to keep the truck, but he did get some time at the controls thanks to Craig Pruett with the city of Lawrence.

"We've known Dagen for a few years now," Pruett said. "All of our crews know him and have been following his progress. So another opportunity to make Dagen's Christmas wish come true, we'd be glad."

Watch the video above to hear the sounds of joy from the courageous little collector. A moment of happiness certainly not wasted.

"Christmas is a wonderful time of year, and it's about the kids," Pruett added. "Just to be a part of this is fantastic, a wonderful thing."

Dagen's father was joyed that his son got to experience such a wonderful day away from the worry, "Obviously seeing your son whose been through so much in the last year and a half, having some joy and something he'll remember forever is awesome."