The arrival of the Budweiser Clydesdales to Enon was a historic event for this small town but just miles away in South Charleston the anticipation of Saturday, October 8, 2016 was pretty high for the Delaney family. You see Janice the family matriarch has been declining in health and a fall on Wednesday almost made this special wish only a sad memory of what might have been for her family.
 
In April Janice and her husband Ed learned that she would be taking the journey of cancer treatment. Then in June doctors found that the disease had spread and her future plans would need to drastically change.
 
Over the years as Janice and Ed moved into their golden years, the family would try to find something special for a Christmas gift for Janice. A photo of the world famous hitch in an envelope with the promise of a trip to the farm in St. Louis was simply perfect. Then as often happens, Janice had a decline in her health and that trip was put on the back burner as they say. She did get to see the horses a few years ago when they were stabled at the Clark County Fair Grounds but she never got to see them up close and ready for parade.
 
When Amanda Holt her granddaughter learned that the Clydesdales would be making an appearance in Enon, she asked her boss and family friend Dr. Dana King if he might know of someone who could arrange for Janice to see the hitch in town for the grand opening of the Speedway station. About the same time, Janice’s daughter Sherri Schaaf reached out to childhood friend and South Charleston neighbor Scott Corbitt who works for Budweiser to see if this special wish could become a reality. As the story unfolds in any happy ending, the planets aligned, the right people heard the story and hearts were opened to embrace that small town can do attitude.
 
On Saturday morning with the chill of autumn in the air and groomers hard at work, Janice got her first glimpse of the three semi trailers holding her beloved Clydesdales. Nicholas Hammond, Sales Director for National Retail Sales for Anheuser Busch was on hand making all of the arrangements with the team that travels with the eight horse hitch for Janice to have an exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with Bo one of the members of the hitch.
 
As family members gathered near the semi to watch, Ed proudly wheeled Janice right up to the semi where the handler brought the two ton horse close enough that Janice could reach up and pet his head. Bo reacted as if he knew this was a special day for Janice and that he was making a memory for not only her, but a family dealing with the imminent loss of their beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother that giant among the horse world gently nudge Janice’s face as if to say “I understand and you are loved”. Emotions ran high among not only the family but those gathered who were involved in making this memory a reality.
 
Janice and her family continued to watch as the eight horses were bridled and harnessed to the hitch. Barley the Dalmatian made his appearance and then the drivers climbed aboard for one last group photo for the album of the Delaney family before parading up Enon Road to their destination. A once in a lifetime experience that will leave the family with happy memories in the difficult days to come
 
We cannot quite leave Ed out of this heartwarming story as he is on this journey with Janice. Ed and Janice have been married for 64 years. It was clear that their love is as vibrant as ever when Ed gave Janice a kiss just before Bo stepped up to her. They have three children, Rick, Randy and Sherri who along with their spouses came to Enon for this special day. They are also blessed with four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Ed explained during our brief time together that he worked as a plumber until a vehicle accident ended his career. He considers Dana King part of the family and had served as his plumber for some 30 years. Dr. King was part of that group photo and as always didn’t want any special recognition.
 
The Delaney family would like to thank Terri Smith a resident of our community who worked with the family as a member of the Speedway team, Scott Corbitt and Nick Hammond from Anheuser Busch and everyone from the Speedway and Budweiser families who “helped to make this possible” said Schaff “This is a day we will cherish forever” .