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 &
fulfill all his
dreams. Now that was
no longer possible; the
leukemia would see
to that. But she
still wanted her
son's dream 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 , where she
met Fireman Bob, who
had a heart as big
as Arizona
She explained
her son's final wish
and asked if it
might be possible to
give her 6 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,
and 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
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
the 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-------- 5
fire-fighters
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!
This is a true story
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