In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old 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 and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window. 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, 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.