DeKalb boy gets key to the city as mayor declares Elijah Livingston Day

DeKALB – A DeKalb boy recently received a key to the city, a shopping spree and a whole day named in his honor.

DeKalb city leaders recently declared July 11 as Elijah Livingston Day to honor his perseverance as the newest Make-A-Wish recipient. National nonprofit Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children facing critical illnesses, according to its website.

“This young man is quite literally the example of what strength and courage looks like,” DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes said at a recent City Council meeting, speaking to Livingston, who appeared with family. “When I see someone like you setting the example that you are setting, I want you to personally know it’s impacting me on a substantial level. From the bottom of my heart, I can’t say enough about how cool it is to meet you face to face and how proud I am as a citizen of the city of DeKalb to now know you and to know there are people like you out there in the world that can persevere and can show us what real strength looks like.”

Livingston’s wish was to get a shopping spree to buy items for video games and gear. On July 10, that spree was granted. When his wish fulfillment was announced, Livingston appeared emotional with his mother, Shannon Gardner, as he stood to be recognized.

“Elijah, I’m a gamer, too, man,” Barnes said. “To be able to go out and buy a bunch of stuff so you can crush it in the online world, I think that’s pretty darn cool. So today is your day. "

Barnes also presented the boy with a key to the city, something the mayor said he only reserves for special occasions and considers sacred.

A proclamation on behalf of Barnes and the City Council was presented to Livingston to recognize him for being granted a wish by Make-A-Wish Illinois.

The mayor’s surprise announcement that he was giving Livingston a key to the city, makes for the third key to be presented in his tenure, Barnes said.