Nothing like a firefighter...

[Paulie]

>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.

[2stop]

OMG..What a beautiful story, it brought some tears to my eyes.