The Littlest Fireman


Stop telling God how big your storm is.

Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is.
 

In Phoenix, Arizona, 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 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, God, 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.

 


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