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In Calgary , Alberta 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 & 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 Calgary, where she
met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Alberta. 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 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
Calgary Fire Department on it, and a yellow slicker like we wear and
rubber boots.'
'They're
all manufactured right here in Calgary, 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 Calgary 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. |
