Billy The Fireman
Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>
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 when you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do
with your life?"
"Mommy," he replied, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."
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 quickly."
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 ecstatic. 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. 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 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. Sixteen
firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's
permission, they hugged him, 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.
- Author unknown
Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara
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