Am I A Fireman Yet??--------------------In Queensland , Australia , a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6year old son, who was dying of terminal leukaemia. Although her heartwas filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination... Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up &fulfil all his dreams.Now that was no longer possible. The leukaemia would see to that. Butshe still wanted her son's dream to come true.She took her son's hand and asked, 'Ben, did you ever think aboutwhat you wanted to be once you grew up?Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?''Mummy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.'Mum smiled back and said, 'Let's see if we can make your wish cometrue.'Later that day she went to her local fire Station in Brisbane , whereshe met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Queensland .She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possibleto give her 6 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 haveyour son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him anhonorary fireman for the whole day.He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all thefire calls, the full Monty! 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 Queensland Fire & Rescue Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.They're all manufactured right here in Brisbane , so we can get themfast.'Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Ben, dressed him in hisuniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting truck.Ben got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to thefire station.He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Brisbane that dayand Ben got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fireengines that day.He was also videotaped for the local news program.Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that waslavished upon him, so deeply touched Ben, that he lived three monthslonger than any doctor thought possible.One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and thehead Nurse, who believed in the hospice concept - that no one shoulddie alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.Then she remembered the day Ben had spent as a fireman, so she calledthe Fire Station and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman inuniform to the hospital to be with Ben as he made his transition.The Officer in charge replied, 'We can do better than that.We'll be there in five minutes.Will you please do me a favour? When you hear the sirens screamingand see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system, thatthere is not a fire? It's the 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 thehospital and extended its ladder up to Ben's third floor open window16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Ben's room.Wiith his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and toldhim how much they LOVED him.With his dying breath, Ben looked up at the fire chief and said,'Chief, am I really a fireman now?''Ben, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand,' theO.I.C said. With those words, Ben smiled and said, 'I know, He's beenholding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing....' Heclosed his eyes one last time.This story is powerful and there is nothing attached, PLEASE do notbreak this pattern; uplifting stories are one of the best gifts wereceive.There is no cost, but a lot of rewards, let's continue to uplift oneAnother!!! Warm regards, _________________________________________________________________ NEW! Get Windows Live FREE. http://www.get.live.com/wl/all
