FW: True Story

-----Original Message-----
From: Jolly, Rich
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 1:53 PM
To: Campbell, Larry; Bailey, Arnie; Roensch, David; Smith, Rick
Subject: FW: True Story

FYI
-----Original Message-----
From: Brickman, Ronnie
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 11:04 AM
To: Matt Ammerman; Bill_Baird@eott.com; Boothe, David; Brickman, Susan Jane; Brown, Ricky; rd_cates@yahoo.com; Clements, Carol; charlotte.collier@region16.net; mkdean@pldi.net; aalbers@amaonline.com; kristi@tcfa.org; Greenlee, Lynn; JHubbard@NEELY.com; Jolly, Rich; Loveless, Rick; gcmlwd@nts-online.net; jkpenry@hotmail.com; Robyn Penry; dross@logixonline.net; sam stew; Calvin and Verna; theranch@logixonline.net; Wier, Gloria; Williams, Sammy; billwood@nts-online.net
Subject: True Story

< < < < < <FW: The below is a true story -- It was on TV and in the
< < < < < < < < <Readers Digest
< < < < < < < < <Importance: High
< < < < < < < < <
< < < < < < < < <
< < < < < < < < << < < 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 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,
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 that Billy looked up 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 four people that
I
< < < < < < < < << < < wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass
this
< < < < < < < < << < < to 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. God bless you and have a nice
day!
< < < < < <