-----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!
> > > > > >