Story Published:
Dec 15, 2009 at 7:33 PM MST
Story Updated:
Dec 16, 2009 at 10:13 AM MST
BILLINGS - Elmo, Cookie Monster, and the whole gang are now in Billings for the production, "Sesame Street Live" at Rimrock Auto Arena.
They visit 45 cities in ten months. But as we discovered, they manage to squeeze in some time between shows for some big surprises around town.
For the past 40 years, Sesame Street characters have helped generations of children learn to count, learn the ABC's, learn colors and they've helped kids learn to share. But they are also helping kids facing tremendous health challenges take a break from their worries.
They visit kids like 1-year-old Chloe Grabarek, who has spent the majority of her life on a ventilator in St. Vincent Healthcare's Pediatric Unit. Her mother, Jodi Grabarek explains, "She has a rare form of dwarfism that affects the cartilage in her airways so she has a trach (trachestomy tube) and has been on a ventilator. It's just hard to see her grow up in a hospital because mentally she's just like a normal one-year-old, but the nurses are great. Although the nurses have been wonderful, it's just hard to not be together as a family at home."
Chloe cannot talk but her animated facial expressions speak volumes. The nurses say her sweet temperament has made Chloe a star around the office. According to St. Vincent Healthcare Nurse, Kory Funk, "She's always willing to give a smile to anybody. She could make your day in a second. If you're having a bad day, you can go to Chloe's room and you can see her big smile and her big dimples and she just melts your heart."
And, one thing that is sure to trigger her smile is Sesame Street's, Elmo. Jodi Grabarek says, "We've been up here for 8 months and I really wanted to take her to see Elmo live in person because she loves her Elmo dolls and videos but they wouldn't let us leave."
So, Sesame Street Live came to Chloe for a surprise visit. When Elmo walked through the door of the Pediatric Unit playroom, Chloe's eyes lit up.
Her mother exclaimed, "Look, Elmo came to see you Chloe!" Slowly, as though she was still dreaming, a wide grin with deep dimples spread across Chloe's face. Her mother says, "My dream for her would be to eventually to get off her ventilator and her trach tube and to be able to have a normal life growing up at home."
Although Chloe's breathing is a major medical concern, her parents delighted in a chance to see something like Elmo's surprise visit take her breath away.
Additional show times for "Sesame Street Live, When Elmo Grows Up" are Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.. Tickets are $12, $17 and $20 dollars with a $2 dollar facility fee.
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