On Sunday, firefighters in Olympia presented a woman with a special gift: a wheelchair van customized for her disabled son.
It was a moment a year and a half in the making. And it all began with a routine aid call.
Olympia firefighter Rick Leo spearheaded the project after meeting Lupe Rodriguez while on the job.
Rodriguez has atrial fibrillation and her heart was racing that day Leo and other firefighters and paramedics responded to help her.
Instead of complaining, Leo said, she had a really positive attitude. And actually put her disabled adult son's comfort above her own.
"She was impressive," Leo said. But that wasn't the only thing that stuck with him about that day.
He noticed that the single mom and her son needed a better vehicle to get them around.