Billy Tuesday
Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>
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.
A young Christian was relating some of his experiences in the Great
War. With a company of his comrades, he was separated from the main
body of troops. Surrounded by the enemy for days, their food ran out and
their water was exhausted.
Knowing they were without food and water, the enemy sent a messenger
Every little while, suggesting that they would be wise to surrender.
One night, with no food and no water and with only one shell left,
they held a consultation as to what steps to take next. They decided to
pray to God for His help, then to fire their last shell into the night as a
signal to their comrades. After the shell had exploded, the only thing to
do was to wait. In the morning they heard the hum of a motor overhead. It
was a plane from their own headquarters. Flying over the surrounded boys,
it dropped packages of food and canteens of water. On one of the
packages was a note, "Don't give up. We are coming."
For some days the planes passed overhead and the bread and water were
dropped down, always accompanied with the message, "Hold on." Then
there was the roaring of artillery and the march of infantry, and
the lost battalion was rescued and taken back to their own lines safely.
We, too, are surrounded by the enemy. When we are in a tight place,
he whispers, "Better surrender. Why not give up? It is hopeless to
fight on." But when the devil says, "Surrender," God sends along a
message of hope, "Don't give up, I'm coming."
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