I don't know if this ever made it to the net but it was worth sharing. > >> The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son > >> who was dying of 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 Klein, 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. > >> > >> The fireman 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, > >> and 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. Billy was "in heaven." > >> > >> There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day > >> and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode > >> the different fire engines, the paramedic's van > >> and even in the fire chief's car. He was also > >> video taped 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 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 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 it's 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, extended its ladder > >> up to Billy's third floor open window, and 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," the chief said. With those > >> words, Billy smiled and closed his eyes one > >> last time, as the fireman all stood around the > >> bed with their hands to their foreheads in > >> silent salute and with tears running down their > >> cheeks. > >> > >> (The person who originally made this story > >> available got to meet fireman Bob Klein in Phoenix, and > >> Klein gave him the article from the Phoenix paper. That > >> person said, as he passed this on, "It just keeps on > >> coming back to me.") as it no doubt will to all of us. > >> > ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
