Firefighters come out to cheer teen as he rings the bell

By Maureen Gilmer, Riley Children’s Health senior writer, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org

Rachel Ray says she’s not an easy person to surprise. Yet even she was astonished when about three dozen firefighters from her husband’s firehouse marched in to join the huge crowd already gathered for her son Benny’s bell-ringing ceremony Thursday.

The hugs, the tears, the gratitude. All of it was on full display in the oncology outpatient clinic at Riley Hospital for Children.

Benny, 17, was celebrating the end of 2½ years of treatment for B-cell leukemia, a journey marked by suffering, for sure, but also great joy and love.

“Welcome to the biggest bell-ringing yet,” said an enthusiastic Dr. Amanda Saraf, the Riley hematologist-oncologist who has walked this road with the Ray family since the summer of 2022 when Benny began experiencing extreme fatigue, muscle soreness and swollen lymph nodes.

“Praise God they sent us to Riley,” Rachel said.

“It is never easy to get a leukemia diagnosis,” Dr. Saraf said to the teen and the crowd of 75 or more surrounding him, “but you’ve been so resilient and so brave through all of this. It’s really been a joy to care for you.”

As nurses, clinic team members, friends and family wiped away tears, Benny, a junior at Bethesda Christian School in Brownsburg, rang the bell signifying the last of 860 days of treatment, followed by these words:

“Ring this bell three times well, its toll to clearly say, my treatment’s done, this course is run, and I am on my way.”

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, as more bells rang out in the hallway.

Benny, a baseball player and drummer, is on his way for sure, hoping one day to join his father, Mike, on the Plainfield Fire Department, especially after seeing the parade of firefighters who surprised the family, many coming in on their day off to celebrate with him and his parents.

“It’s important for us to be here to show our support of Benny and the Ray family, said Plainfield firefighter Tom Hostetler, who works alongside Mike Ray, a 17-year veteran of the Plainfield department.

The surprise guests even brought along a fire truck, the perfect backdrop for photos as snow began to fall Thursday afternoon. At one point, Benny climbed to the top of the truck and struck a victory pose.

“I’m happy that this two-and-a-half-year journey is finally done,” he said. “I have dreamed about ringing the bell and finally being done.”

And the support he’s received has been beyond amazing, he said. That includes his Riley team, who helped inspire him to think about a life of service.

“Saving lives is pretty cool,” he said.

As he talked about his dream of helping others, his dad forced back tears.

“I’m extremely proud of Ben and the way he’s handled this whole thing,” said Mike, recalling the times he as a dad was brought to his knees, crying out to God for answers.

“God showed us reason after reason why he’s put us through this,” he said. “We’ve seen him put people in our lives and he gave us the courage to move forward without feeling defeated, knowing we’re going to get through this together.”

Benny’s mom also shed many tears, but it was her son, the oldest of the couple’s three boys, who comforted her, telling her he would be OK.

“He’s the strongest kid you’ll ever meet,” Rachel said. “Our faith is what really carried us through. To watch your son go through near death, no mother should ever have to do that, but seeing him grow like this ...”

After 2½ years, she and her husband chose Thursday as the day to remove their #BenBrave bracelets, featuring a verse from the Bible: “The Lord will fight for you …”

She is grateful for the Riley team that wrapped its arms around her family.

“I want to say how hard everyone worked for Benny. I will always remember one moment when they had just taken him back for bloodwork and another bone marrow biopsy. I can’t even tell you what I was feeling. One of the nurses just grabbed my hand and said, ‘Let’s walk.’ And we just walked the hallways. Anytime we went in there, it was like a warm hug,” she said.

“They always encouraged Benny to keep fighting, and he’s going to carry that lesson with him until he’s an old man.”

Seeing her patient surrounded by so many people who love him was a privilege for Dr. Saraf, who said she was amazed, yet not truly surprised.

“Benny and his family simply radiate joy and positivity,” she said. “They celebrated each milestone through his cancer journey, from a good platelet count during a clinic visit to the news that he was in remission. The community and support system that showed up today to celebrate his resilience and bravery are a reflection of that.”

Even as they celebrated, the Ray family wanted to remind other patients in clinic that they hold them in their hearts. They passed out gift cards and exchanged fist bumps and quiet well wishes with others still in treatment.

Witnessing those moments “was nothing short of beautiful,” Dr. Saraf said. “Afterward, several joined to watch him ring the bell and celebrate alongside him.”

“I don’t know how people go through this without this kind of support,” Mike said, as he hugged firefighter after firefighter, friend after friend. “But for the others who are still going through this, I pray there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Everybody should be able to ring this bell, and if not, let light shine through you, no matter what.”

Photos by Mike Dickbernd, IU Health visual journalist, mdickbernd@iuhealth.org