Police, classmates help celebrate Delco child’s 7th birthday
MARPLE » Having a child’s birthday party with friends and classmates isn’t recommended these days due to the current pandemic. So now parents and relatives are finding innovative ways to allow their children to still celebrate with their friends.
When Rylan Elliott’s family had to cancel his birthday party with his classmates at a bowling alley in Springfield, they wanted to find a way for his classmates at Hillcrest Elementary School in
Drexel Hill to wish him a happy 7th birthday safely.
Danianne Memory, Elliott’s mom, with some help from her brother, Robert Memory, came up with a couple of ways to celebrate, one with the assistance of police in Broomall and then with his classmates.
So his mom checked with the other parents at the school to see who might be at home. In the end, they spent time riding around to the houses where his classmates live, so they could wave and still wish him a happy birthday while keeping everyone at a safe distance.
But before seeing his classmates, Elliott got an additional surprise while at his grandparents’ home on Hawthorne Road in Broomall when three Marple police cars passed by to wish him a happy birthday.
The police drive-by was put together with the help of Robert Memory, Rylan’s uncle. Since he knew some of the officers through his work, he asked if it was possible to have one officer stop by Elliot’s grandparents’ home to wish his nephew a happy birthday.
They complied, and three police cars drove by, wishing him a happy 7th birthday.
Once the police wished him a happy birthday, then they drove by the homes of his classmates.
“We just got in the car and drove around to say hi to everyone,” Danianne Memory said.
According to Memory, some of Rylan’s classmates even dressed up in costumes such as a dinosaur and a unicorn. They held up signs wishing him a happy birthday.
“We were just thankful that everyone took the time to celebrate with us and grateful to be able to be healthy and safe. We were also grateful that the police came by and helped make it special for him,” she said.