FW: No Tears ,
 ---------------------- Forwarded by Angela Barnett/HOU/ECT on 11/30/2000 
09:35 AM ---------------------------


"Curley, Kim" <KCurley@tmh.tmc.edu> on 11/30/2000 09:22:32 AM
To: "'angela.barnett@enron.com'" <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.
>
>
>
>
lsharis@msn.com, sandra.mcnichols@enron.com, eve.puckett@enron.com, 