a little uplift (OT-long but worth it!)

[Guest guest]

he Littlest Firefighter

In Phoenix AZ. a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 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 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

e

xtended 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.

My instructions were to send this to at least four people that I

wanted God

to bless and I picked you. Please pass this to at least four people

you

want

to be blessed as well as the person who sent it to you.

This story is powerful and there is nothing attached, please do not

break

this pattern; uplifting stories are one of the best gifts we

receive. There

is no cost but a lot of rewards, LET'S CONTINUE TO UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER!