Ever since Whitaker Weinberger was little, he has loved the "Transformers" series and the color yellow. And for his first three birthdays, he was in the hospital fighting cancer.
On Whitaker's fourth birthday, a whole community came together to surprise him with a parade of yellow cars. A long line of sports cars, moving trucks, fire trucks, taxis and school buses greeted the little boy on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Whitaker's father, Seth Weinberger, said he was overwhelmed by the kindness of the hundreds of people who celebrated his son on Woodbine Street in Alexandria, Virginia. The party started at 7 a.m.
"This is a whole community doing something to make just one person's day," he said.
Whitaker wore a yellow T-shirt to match his favorite "Transformers" character, Bumblebee. The shirt read, "I am brave. I am strong. I am Whitaker W."
Yellow has always been his favorite color, his grandfather, Terri Weinberger said.
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"Anything that's yellow has always been in a spark in his spirt," he said.
Whitaker's family members, neighbors and classmates joined the 4-year-old on his mile-long walk to school. Many wore yellow and some carried yellow signs wishing him a happy birthday.
"This is so exciting for my little brother," Whitaker's sister Lakeland said.
News4 was able to help make the celebration happen, asking Alexandria's DASH bus service, Penske Truck Rental, volunteer firefighters from Woodbridge and others to send yellow vehicles. They came out in droves. One bus even had "Whitaker's Surprise!" on the electronic display.
Whitaker expressed his glee himself: "Thank you everyone," he said. "Bumblebee!"
