Sheriff’s Office makes 10-year-old’s wish to become a robot superhero come true

ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida was introduced to its newest crime-fighting robot superhero as Make-A-Wish helped make a 10-year-old boy's dream come true.

Gaige Pike, who lives in Lakeland, was born with Neoplasms and recently underwent heart surgery for the condition.

As someone who loves science, playing with robots and helping people, Gaige mentioned an opportunity to save someone as a robot superhero when his family was approached by Make-A-Wish. His three main objectives were to stop a bank robbery, stop a fire in a burning building and to rescue someone from a collapsed building.

On Thursday, that wish came true when "ROBOGaige" was first sworn in by Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

Wearing shiny robot armor with flashing lights, Gaige then rode along with SWAT as they responded to a staged bank robbery in progress off John Young Parkway.

"Gaige has been thinking about this day for weeks and months now, so it's given him that hope and strength to keep on fighting his medical condition," Make-A-Wish Central and North Florida President Anne Cuba said.

Dozens in the community cheered on from outside the bank as calls were made over a loudspeaker and Gaige moved inside with deputies.

A video feed from the bank played outside for the crowd while Gaige was seen taking the bad guy into custody.

"He's that superhero that he's wanted to save the Orlando community and that's what we're doing for him today," Cuba said.

Gaige was recognized by the sheriff's office and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings before he continued on to the next leg of his wish.

"Congratulations to you and thank you for catching a bad guy today," Demings said.

A fire and collapsed rescue scenario then took place at Central Florida Fire Academy before an award ceremony finished off the day.

“It’s just been amazing all the little pieces that came to make this happen today for a ten-year-old little boy who’s living his dreams to become a superhero,” Cuba said.

Make-A-Wish said everything was made possible through donations and dozens of volunteers from several organizations in the Central Florida area.