CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Some first responders in Hampton Roads are doing some heavy lifting for a good cause.
Chesapeake Sheriff’s deputies and police officers are practicing for the Dulles Day Plane Pull to raise money for Special Olympics. Whoever moves a FedEx airbus 12 feet the fastest wins!
On Tuesday, the team pulled the weight of a full 77,000-pound fire truck.
“This is the only way to practice because we can't go to the airport and practice, so it's the next best thing,” said Chris Pascal.
The event raises money for Special Olympics Virginia. Each person on this team said they have a personal connection to the cause.
“I really do this because of my daughter, my daughter Shayla. She is 17 and she has Down syndrome,” said Freddie Park.
Shayla is his number one fan.
“I am a superhero,” Parks said. “I am a superhero and she talks like I pulled the plane by myself, but it's a team effort.”
The team has raised more than $6,300 for Special Olympics Virginia, passing their $5,000 goal. The team has won the past 12 years in a row.
“Every year each one gets more special because the number keeps growing ... when we win the 13th one everyone will be excited because we will look forward to 14. And who would have thought we would have got to 10 and now we are going for 13,” Pascal said.
The team said all this heavy lifting will never get old.
“I’m here. I'm here until they stop saying we're not pulling the plane. We're here,” Parks said.
The Dulles Day Plane Pull is scheduled for October 23, 2021. If you would like to donate to the team, click here.
Editors note: The video below is on file from Sept. 11, 2019