When Gilroy High School senior Erica Fields, 17, told her mom she was wondering who could walk her across the football field as part of Senior Night, she didn’t expect a Gilroy firefighter would volunteer.
Fields and her mother knew personnel from the Gilroy Chestnut Fire Station well at this point. In the six months before Fields’ mother, Mary Kamikani, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease – a neurodegenerative condition that eventually causes paralysis – firefighters responded to calls for assistance from the family at least eight times, explained Kamikani.
Before Kamikani knew she had Lou Gehrig’s disease, she used to walk and then suddenly fall, as if she had tripped. She broke both ankles and “flew down the stairs” once before being diagnosed and becoming wheelchair bound six months ago.
“I didn’t think we were going to get my mom to go,” said Fields, a cheerleader who was recognized during Senior Night. “As soon as I saw her, I just started crying.”
Kamikani was honored that Firefighter Michael Pardini was willing to walk her daughter across the field, but according to Pardini, the honor was his.
“I was honored to be able to assist Mary and her daughter on that, and to represent Erica as well as the Gilroy Fire Department,” said Pardini, who pushed Kamikani’s wheelchair across the field. “It was Erica’s night.”
Fields’ father died in a terrible Los Angeles car crash when she was 6 months old, so the question of how her family was going to escort her across the football field on Senior Night loomed large. She introduced Pardini as her “Godfather.”
“It was like having that father figure I never had walking with me across that field. It was amazing,” said Fields.
The school photographer and other members of Pardini’s crew took pictures of the walk.
“Anyone in the firehouse would have done it. That’s what where we’re all about,” said Pardini, who mentioned that a three person crew from Engine 61 was on hand to attend the event.
“They were incredible,” Kamikani beamed. “It was just an incredible, overwhelming feeling.”
Senior Night at the high school honors members of the bands and athletic teams for their work and invites the students to walk across the field while being escorted by their families.
Kamikani’s church friends even came to carry her down the stairs of her upstairs apartment so that she could participate in her daughter’s event.
Kamikani, who originally hails from Hawaii and lived in Los Angeles for a while, never expected to fall in love with Gilroy when she moved here two years ago to live closer to her son and grandchildren.
“Moving from Los Angeles County and moving to this little small town, I wasn’t sure I made the right decision,” she said. “Now, I know in my heart – and I thank God – that I did make the right move and this is where I’m supposed be.”
