Medical staff take man with cerebral palsy to celebrate 74th birthday with family

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Michael Leary, a longtime resident of the South Bay, celebrated his 74th birthday with family at his sister's home in San Ysidro, thanks to the efforts of Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and AMR ambulance.

Leary, who has lived with cerebral palsy since birth, was transported by an ambulance decorated with balloons and streamers as part of AMR's Sentimental Journey program. This initiative aims to provide meaningful experiences for individuals like Leary, who have been living in care facilities.

"Today is August 22nd. It's my birthday," said Michael Patrick Leary during the celebration.

"I'm happy my brother is here to spend the day the day with him, birthday or not it's always fun. I love my brother very much," said his sister, highlighting the joy of the occasion.

Leary has been at the Birch Patrick Skilled Nursing Facility at Sharp Chula Vista for the last four years. Before moving to the nursing facility, Leary led an active life, delivering newspapers and working with horses at Baja Mar Ranch in South San Diego for nearly a decade.

The birthday celebration included some of Leary's favorite meals, such as sloppy joes and potato salad, prepared by his family.

AMR's Sentimental Journey program is designed to offer individuals like Leary the opportunity to enjoy special moments outside of their usual environment, providing a positive experience for both the individuals and their families.

The celebration marked a day full of emotion and joy, as Leary was able to spend his birthday surrounded by loved ones, creating cherished memories.

KUSI's Wiley Jawhary contributed to this report.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KSWB. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KSWB staff before being published.