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
, 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 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 We dnesday 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 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--------
16 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.
Am I Really a Fireman Now
Am I Really a Fireman Now
