Am I A Fireman Yet??
>
> In Queensland , Australia , a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6
> year old son, who was dying of terminal leukaemia. 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 & fulfil all his
> dreams..
>
> Now that was no longer possible. The leukaemia would see to that.. But
> she still wanted her son's dream to come true.
>
> She took her son's hand and asked, 'Ben, 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?'
>
> '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 come
> true.'
>
> Later that day she went to her local fire Station in Brisbane , where
> she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Queensland .
>
> She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible
> to 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 have
> your son ready at seven o'clockWednesday 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 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 them
> fast.'
>
> Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Ben, dressed him in his
> uniform 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 the
> fire station.
>
> He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Brisbane that day
> and Ben got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire
> engines that day.
>
> 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 Ben, 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 Ben had spent as a fireman, so she called
> the Fire Station and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in
> uniform 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 screaming
> and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system, that there
> 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 the
> hospital and extended its ladder up to Ben's third floor open window
> 16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Ben's room.
>
> Wiith his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told
> him 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,' the
> O.I.C said. With those words, Ben 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.