Message-ID: <11830181.1075855552846.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 01:35:00 -0800 (PST) From: angela.barnett@enron.com To: lsharis@msn.com, sandra.mcnichols@enron.com, eve.puckett@enron.com, judy.hernandez@enron.com, regina.blackshear@enron.com, dpepplejes@netscape.net, caicedo9502@yahoo.com Subject: FW: No Tears Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Angela Barnett X-To: LSHARIS@MSN.COM, Sandra R McNichols, Eve Puckett, Judy Hernandez, Regina Blackshear, DPEPPLEJES@NETSCAPE.NET, CAICEDO9502@YAHOO.COM X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Juan_Hernandez_Dec2000\Notes Folders\Notes inbox X-Origin: Hernandez-J X-FileName: jhernan.nsf ---------------------- Forwarded by Angela Barnett/HOU/ECT on 11/30/2000 09:35 AM --------------------------- "Curley, Kim" on 11/30/2000 09:22:32 AM To: "'angela.barnett@enron.com'" cc: Subject: FW: No Tears > -----Original Message----- > From: loretta-henry@reliantenergy.com > [SMTP:loretta-henry@reliantenergy.com] > Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 2:29 PM > To: debbie_m_smith@reliantenergy.com; keela-maddox@reliantenergy.com; > pat_chesser@reliantenergy.com; denise-hewitt@reliantenergy.com > Subject: No Tears > > The Littlest Firefighter > > 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 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 > 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 video taped > 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 it's finest > members one more time. And will you open the window > to his room?......Thanks." > > 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 his > dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and > said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Billy, > you are," the chief said. And Billy closed his eyes > one last time. > > Many people will walk in and out of your life, > But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. > > To handle yourself, use your head; > To handle others, use your heart > > Anger is only one letter short of danger. > > Great minds discuss ideas; > Average minds discuss events; > Small minds discuss people. > > He who loses money, loses much; > He, who loses a friend, loses much more; > He, who loses faith, loses all. > > > >