Message-ID: <15238824.1075859278028.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 12:27:28 -0800 (PST) From: larry.campbell@enron.com To: rich.jolly@enron.com, rick.loveless@enron.com, roger.osborn@enron.com, ron.beidelman@enron.com Subject: FW: True Story Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Campbell, Larry X-To: Jolly, Rich , Loveless, Rick , Osborn, Roger , Beidelman, Ron , 'ayers@qp.com.qa' X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Larry_Campbell_Jan2002_2\Campbell, Larry\Sent Items X-Origin: Campbell-L X-FileName: lcampbe (Non-Privileged).pst -----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! > > > > > >