Surprise Flight Boosts Sick Boy’s Morale

A group of youth calling themselves “The Naughty Ones” have launched a move to create a positive impact on people’s lives by drawing on the capabilities and communications among people themselves. They intend to do exciting things. The Naughty Ones motivate people to fight their diseases. The group members are in close contact with doctors and consult with professional physicians and psychologists. They try to make children understand that it is possible to fight the most serious diseases and finally win. In their latest move, the group members made Benyamin’s dream come true.

Eleven-year-old Benyamin who lives in northern Iran kept traveling to the capital, Tehran, as he was under treatment for a serious disease. He was finally hospitalized in Tehran. He was going to undergo a marrow transplant operation within a few days.

According to a Farsi report by Mehr, while in hospital, The Naughty Ones found out that Benyamin loved the TV series “Passion for Flight.” The show depicts the life of top Iranian general and pilot Abbas Babaei, who put his life on the line to fight Iraqi forces during the Iraq-Iran war and was martyred in 1987. Famous Iranian actor Shahab Hosseini plays Babaei in the TV series. Benyamin loved Hosseini very much and had memorized most of the dialogues of the movie.
The group put together a scenario to make Benyamin’s dream come true in order to give him hope to overcome his disease. The Naughty Ones members wrote a letter the country’s Air Force and explained everything. After a short time, the arrangements were made for Benyamin to visit an airbase.

The Naughty Ones then began its mission. One day when Benyamin was in the hospital, one of the group members asked the boy to accompany him for a ride. They left the hospital in a car. Then they arrived at their destination where group members were waiting for them. They gave Benyamin pilot uniform to put on. Then, much to Benyamin’s surprise, several army vehicles arrived and asked him to go with them. The boy, though shocked, did not hesitate to get in.

When they arrived at the airbase, several military top brass warmly welcomed and saluted Benyamin.

“We are very glad to see you visit our airbase, Captain. We hope you’ll enjoy your visit,” said one of the colonels.

Benyamin was staring in disbelief while having a smile on his lips.

After a short time, a man in a suit approached Benyamin, shook hands with him and put a wreath around his neck.

“You know who I am? I’m the one whose father you love. I’m martyr Babaei’s son.”

Benyamin then got excited and hugged Babaei’s son.

Then they moved and approached the hangars of MiG-29 fighter jets. A military march was played to pay tribute to captain Benyamin. He shook hands with several pilots, who briefed Benyamin on the features of MiG-29 jet fighters. The captain listened to the pilots carefully and enthusiastically.

Doctors had warned that Benyamin could not fly on a jet fighter due to his health condition. Moreover, it is not possible to fly on a private plane over Tehran because of security issues. So, they took Benyamin to the sky on a training aircraft. He was in the sky for ten minutes. After landing, he was so excited. He rushed to his mother and told her about his experience of flying.

Several days after his wonderful experience, Benyamin said, “I’m sure my surgery will be successful.”

Benyamin’s mother also said the whole scenario had had a positive impact on Benyamin and boosted his morale.