In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who
was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she
also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son
to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia
would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took
her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted
to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your
life?"
Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back
and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where
she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's
final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride
around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better
than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll
make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station,
eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll!
give us ! his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat-not
a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker
like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so
we can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and
escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got
to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He
was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to
go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's
van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come true,
with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy
that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse,
who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call
the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire
Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital
to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, "We can do
better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor?
When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce
over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming
to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to
his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended
its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window 16 firefighters climbed up the
ladder into
Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told
him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire
chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Billy, you
are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said. With
those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand all
day, and the angels have been singing." He closed his eyes one last time.
If this does not bring a tear to your eye nothing will, whether it is true or not.
__________________
The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
Taz,
Yeah my wife and I was reading together and balling our eyes out.
NIce story. My father in law hooked up my son up to a similiar train engineer and our 2 year old really drove a freight train at 2 years old. There are some mighty fine folks out there. We were poor at that time in our life and a women my wife worked with bought Matt a train set that year.
Stop telling God how big your storm is.
