Fun Day entertains on bluff

Published 12:01 am Sunday, November 6, 2011

Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat — A small crowd gathered to watch the Air Evac helicopter in a vacant lot across Broadway Street during the Family Fun Day Saturday.

NATCHEZ — A fall fun day on the Natchez bluff attracted some families for games, food and inflatables Saturday, with funds going toward Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital.

Organizer Ron Bequette said there is a significant personal reason for coordinating the fun day — his son, Brody.

An upper respiratory infection almost took Brody’s life at just 2 months old. After a week at a local hospital, Brody made it home, but crashed again.

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“It was pretty rough,” Bequette said. “He was crashing at the house. We put his face against an air purifier they gave us at the hospital.”

Bequette said Brody was air lifted to Jackson, to the only children’s hospital in Mississippi — Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital.

After Brody’s full recovery, Bequette wanted to find a way to give back to the hospital that saved his son’s life.

After a successful fun day last year, Bequette decided to do it again.

Two-year-old Brody was there, and he said that he was having a good time.

T-shirts were sold, a DARE train pulled children down Broadway, and participants were thrilled when the AirEvac Lifeteam helicopter landed downtown.