It’s always difficult planning a surprise party.

But Bothell resident Dominic Sickich  was up for the task. He plans to honor a friend who always managed to cheer him up when they attended Bothell High School together.

Sickich said his friend Bert Colon had an infectious smile and a genuine love for everyone around him.

“Whenever anyone walked by Bert, he was always excited to see them and would make a big deal about them,” Sickich said. “You couldn’t help but light up and smile around him.”

It’s this contagious positive energy that made Sickich want to do something special for Colon. Sickich decided to gather as many people from the community as possible to throw a parade for him.

“I want this to be epic; I want him to drive into a party that’s just for him,” Sickich said.”I want cops to come wondering what is going on, and then have them decide we are having too much fun for them not to join us. Something Bert will honestly never forget. Something that shows him what love looks like—and how it’s simple and how he shows it to me.”

The parade starts at 5:10 p.m. June 18. It will be at 20th Ave. SE in Bothell.

“I’m praying towards 500 people being there,” Sickich said. “As simple, small, and ordinary people, we can infuse memories and moments into peoples stories that will shift the rest of their life—just by showing up. I believe something like this could be that moment for Bert. So, here’s what I ask of the community: show up. Make it epic. Go above and beyond. Go crazy.”

Sickich is hoping to surprise Bert with this parade and requests that people try to keep it a secret from him.

“No texts or phone calls to him please,” Sickich said. “Just show up and watch the face light up of someone who teaches our community how to love.”

For more information, visit bertsparade.wordpress.com or call Sickich at 425-273-0229.