| Nothing like a firefighter...
>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. As he passed on, 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.
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