Over the weekend, a little boy from Indianapolis got the surprise of a lifetime when he was secretly whisked away to meet and ride in the Indianapolis 500 parade with IndyCar Series driver Josef Newgarden.

Better still, when he returned home, he found that his bedroom has received a race car-themed makeover.

Five-year-old Josiah Ives was awestruck: his room had been outfitted with a race car bunk bed, bedding, rug, lamp and nightstand, autographed Josef Newgarden and IndyCar memorabilia, and freshly painted walls, all courtesy of Century 21 and organized by Easter Seals Crossroads in Indianapolis.

Josiah was diagnosed with Noonan syndrome, a genetic disorder that makes him small for his age and hampers speech. At 8 months-old he started critical early intervention services. After occupational and speech therapy from Crossroads his mother says he is now "thriving".

Photos courtesy of Vscreen