Teen takes ride of a lifetime thanks to MTA, Make-A-Wish Foundation
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A young teenager who is on the autism spectrum took the ride of a lifetime Friday, thanks to the MTA and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Cole Moreshead is from Massachusetts, but his dream has always been to ride the train at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.
It's a place people usually pass through to get somewhere else, but for the 14-year-old from Cape Cod, Grand Central is the destination.
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On Friday, he climbed into the locomotive, a place that's usually off limits.
He learned about some of the switches and sounded the very loud horn, all made possible by Make-A-Wish.
Moreshead has complex congenital heart disease, which has required four surgeries and a mechanical valve that helps his heart.
"After everything he's gone through, to be up in a train, which is one of his most favorite things, and have something he's going to remember for the rest of his life," mom Karen Moreshead said.
He's collected model trains from the time he was 4, but on this day, it was about real ones.
"We watch train movies all the time," dad John Moreshead said. "It was awesome."
They even got to walk the catwalk, gazing down to the floor below.
"He is so kind, and I think this is a huge experience and made a big impact on him," twin sister Reese Moreshead said. "I'm so glad we got to this for him."
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It was also a treat for Metro North line superintendent Michael Cunningham, a fellow train buff.
"Always warms my heart to see the excitement in a kid's eyes when they come up and see the locomotive," he said. "Seems to be the biggest thing."
From there, Cole and his family headed to the Intrepid to continue their adventure.
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