YORKTOWN, Va. β A 3-year-old Virginia boy battling a rare form of cancer delivered the best Christmas gift possible when he shared he has no trace of cancer in his body during a surprise holiday parade organized by his supporters.
Declan Carberry of Yorktown was surprised Monday with a parade of first responders, motorcycles, Ghostbusters and Santa Claus on Alexia Lane.
The event was organized by the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula Toys for Tots, which has been surprising children fighting cancer with parades for several years.
During the celebration, Declan's father, Boston Carberry, shared the incredible news that as of December 23, 2025, Declan has no trace of cancer.
"Even though we know the war is not over and we got a lot more battles to go, we're going to take a knee on this one say thank you to everyone," Boston Carberry said. "And when it comes to the New Year, '26 we're going harder and faster at it and we're going to keep on fighting."
Declan was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma a year ago.
His father said the cancer is so rare that there are only around 250 new cases each year, with only two or three children out of that number making it to adulthood.
The parade included 14-year-old Peyton Arthur, who is also fighting cancer and came to share her experience with Declan.
Arthur had received a similar surprise parade two years ago when she was battling the disease.
"It's very humbling," Peyton's mother, Krizma Smith-Arthur, said. "It feels so wonderful to give back and just to know that the community is out there, that you're really not in this alone."
Rev. John C. Seltzer, coordinator with Toys for Tots of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, said the organization focuses on community service.
"When it comes to serving your nation we start with wearing one uniform. When that uniform comes off, we put another one on, and now we start serving our community," Seltzer said.
Boston Carberry said many of the parade participants have supported the family throughout their journey, including a motorcycle club that made Declan an honorary member.
"My wife said it best, she usually does, is this is the family we never knew we needed and that we always wanted," Carberry said.
The news of Declan's condition particularly moved Drenna Workman, a member of the Old Glory Riders Motorcycle Club who made Declan an honorary member, who has also battled cancer.
"I know that feeling because I have been told the same thing a few months ago," Workman said. "I remember him sending me a video and asking me if I would fight cancer with him -- that we were going to kick cancer in the booty. And that's what we've done."
Boston Carberry said the family wanted this support group to be the first to know about Declan's progress because of their unwavering support. While the cancer is dormant, he noted that Declan still has a long road ahead.
The family has been documenting their journey on social media and has a fundraiser to help not only their family but also the groups that have supported them.
"My job as a dad hasn't changed. It's to show my son the universe and to show the universe my son," Boston Carberry said.
Declan's next milestone will be his fourth birthday on January 1.
You can follow along his journey across social media here and visit his fund raising page here.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
