| The Littlest Firefighter |
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| The Littlest Firefighter By: Megan Clarke The 22-year-old mother stared down at her daughter 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 daughter to grow up and fulfill all her dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that and that broke the mother's heart.
Still the mother wanted her daughter's dreams to come true. She took her daughter's small hand into her's and asked, "Alishia, 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?"
"Mom, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." The mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true for you."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Ottawa, Ontario, where she met Fireman James, who had a heart as big as Ottawa. She explained her daughter's final wish to him and asked if it might be possible to give her six year old daughter a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman James said with tears in his eye's, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your daughter ready at six o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make her an honorary fireman for the whole day. She can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! 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 Ontario Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Ontario, so we can get them fast." The mother with tears in her eyes, gave him the information that they would need and left.
Three days later Fireman James picked up Alishia at the hospital, dressed her in the fire uniform that was made for her and escorted her from her hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Alishia got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. She was in heaven and had a blast of a time. There were three fire calls in Ontario that day and Alishia got to go out on all three calls. She rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car. She was also videotaped for the local news program. Having her dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Alishia that she lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible and it was a true miracle.
One night all of her 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 Alishia 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 Alishia as she made her transition to pass away. The chief replied with tears in his eye's, "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 her room for us?" "Of course, I can do that," she says.
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its ladder up to Alishia's third floor open window and five firefighters climbed up the ladder into Alishia's room. With her mother's permission, they hugged her and held her and told her how much they loved her. With her dying breath, Alishia looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Yes, Alishia, you are a fireman now," the chief said. With those words, Alishia smiled and closed his eyes one last time. She passed away with Fireman James holding onto her.
The day of the funeral for young Alishia, firefighter's from across Canada came to say goodbye to the littlest firefighter who touched the heart's of so many across the world.
I wanted to share a story of how a child's wish was granted for her and how it is my heart wish to have wishes granted for other children around the world.
Have a lovely Friday and may all of your wishes come true always.
Sending butterfly kisses and hugs to all of you,
Megan |
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