setup: [E-Mail Ministry] The Littlest Firefighter

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THE LITTLEST FIREFIGHTER

The 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 '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, 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.

-- Author Unknown

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