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Firemen pour it on for ailing tot’s Christmas
By Harriet Weixel
This document was published online on Monday, December 29, 2008
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| Riggin Tangbakken (center) is escorted by his mother Mary and Santa (Tony Martoglio) for a ride in a fire truck last week. About 25 firemen and 10 trucks went to Riggin’s home near Sunset School to visit because he’s unable to go out to see Santa due to his rare and fatal disease. (Photo by Sara Loven) |
Santa Claus arrived early at a sick little Cody boy’s home “ with 10 fire trucks and 25 firemen carrying a sack of toys, candy canes and thrills galore.
Three-year old Riggin Matthew Tangbakken jumped with joy as the trucks drove up to his home with their lights flashing. Santa jumped out of a fire truck and firemen escorted him up the sidewalk.
Santa (aka Tony Martoglio) carried a large red bag filled with toys the firemen had selected, purchased and wrapped. Each fireman handed Riggin a toy as the boy communicated his thanks with smiles and hand motions, because he’s unable to speak.
Then the Tangbakken phone rang during the thrilling evening “ it was country music superstar Toby Keith calling to talk to Riggin.
Keith, who’s Riggin’s favorite singer, carefully asked the boy questions and told him “Merry Christmas.” Although Riggin couldn’t answer verbally, he made sounds and used sign language.
The phone call was arranged by Shirley Kidwell of Cody, who’d heard about Riggin’s interest in the singer from Martoglio and has a friend who knows Keith.
“I called my friend and she arranged it all with Keith,” Kidwell said.
The little boy’s biggest dream came true when fire chief Troy Jones and his crew loaded Riggin into a fire truck and took him for a ride.
Later, as Santa and the firemen drove back to the fire hall, Martoglio said, “I looked out the window at Riggin and said, ‘You guys could have saved the whole town from burning and what you did tonight was bigger than that. It was the biggest thing you could do in your whole career.’”
The little boy was born June 24, 2005, with FG syndrome, an incurable disease. Riggin is unable to talk, but is learning sign language. He gets nourishment through a tube, recently inserted into his intestines, because his stomach is unable to process food and he’s unable to eat by mouth. A device the boy carries in a small backpack pumps the nourishment through the tube.
Riggin quit normal growth at about 18 months. He has severe muscle damage, sparse hair growth, curved fingers, webbed toes and low-set ears.
Although the little boy has lost adequate hearing, he’s alert and uses his sight to discern noises and what is happening around him.
He has learned to use sign language to communicate and can use about 125 signs.
“We’re looking for someone to help teach Riggin how to sign,” his mother Mary says.
He’s unable to attend functions with other people because he easily gets infections in his body.
“It’s frustrating and the unknown for Riggin lingers in my mind because I still don’t know the answers to all the questions “ yet Riggin still smiles and warms my heart,” she says. “He reminds me that every day is so precious and that sometimes not knowing all the answers may not be that bad.
“We’re grateful for all the help we’ve received for Riggin,” she adds. “John Deere tractors are his favorites and the Baxters let him ride on their tractor. Local Shriners have helped and another person gave us a car. So have many other people helped. And the wish foundation has contacted us about granting a wish for Riggin. I want to thank each one of them.”
During a recent visit to the Enterprise, the cheerful little boy gave the staff homemade Christmas tree decorations, joked around with a photographer, took pictures of reporters and signed, “Thank you. I love you.”
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