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  • 5-year-old receives a "monster" surprise

BILLINGS - Monster trucks will strutt their stuff at MetraPark this weekend as Checkerboard Flag Productions brings its Winter Nationals Tour to the Magic city.

But for one young Billings boy, the big trucks already completed their most important performance of the weekend.

Gavin Maxwell, 5, received a monster surprise Friday afternoon.

The monster-truck fanatic had a sparkle in his eye and smile that couldn't be wiped off his face as he sat in the drivers seat of the giant Bounty Hunter, parked right outside his preschool.

Gavin plays with his miniature monster cars daily, but when it came to the real deal, he was pretty amazed by the size of the truck.

Gavin was born with a liver disorder and by the time he turns 10 he will need a transplant.

With the help of Make a Wish Foundation and Checkered Flag Productions Monster Truck tour, Gavin got the ride of his life, while his family felt the burden a little less Friday afternoon.

"It's absolutely amazing," says Gavin's mother, Shay. "It's a wonderful gift that we've been given through make a wish and just awesome. Can't even explain how amazing this is for our family."

And with a smile like that, you would never know 80% of Gavin's liver has been affected by cirrhosis.

"Priceless," Shay said about her son's reaction. "I don't think he's going to quite smiling for a week.

The celebration doesn't stop in the parking lot of Gavin's preschool, the Maxwell family will be the number one fans at Saturday night's show.

"They gave us V.I.P. tickets, so we get to go tomorrow night and see all of the other monster trucks up close and meet the other drivers," Shay explains. "So that'll be a lot of fun for the whole family."