When this little boy walked into the station, all firemen stopped in their tracks. But when he ran towards 1 man in particular, they all knew what was happening. The boy gave the firefighter in question a note, and when he opened it, tears started to well up in his eyes. He couldn’t believe the boy had returned… Jim looked around to see what the commotion behind him was about. Because he did this, he was just in time to catch the young boy that attempted to jump into his arms. Jim was stumped by this. Who is this young man? He didn’t immediately recognize him. Before he was able to say or ask anything, the boy gave Jim a somewhat crumpled piece of paper. While doing this, the boy was smiling from ear to ear, and Jim quickly opened the note to see what was written on it. He couldn’t believe what he was reading… Tears started welling up in Jim’s eyes, and his lip started to quiver. It can’t be. How did he not immediately recognize the boy? Jim started hugging the boy tightly and refused to let him go… But to better understand Jim’s emotional reaction, a bit of back story is required. Jim Grimzer was born and raised in New York City. Jim was the captain of the Fire Department of New York. This was no surprise; he came from a family of firefighters. He loved being able to serve his local community, but some days were better than others. After all, firefighting can be a dangerous occupation… Jim had recently suffered a tragedy at work that had left him confused about his future. Even though he’d always understood the dangers of his job, they hadn’t seemed real until they came to visit his station personally. Jim didn’t know if he could go through something like that again. Jim had recently lost a good man on his team, a young firefighter who had only recently joined the department. Jim had only met the firefighter on a few occasions, but he felt responsible for all his men. He started to doubt himself and wondered whether things could have ended differently if someone else had been in charge. Was it all his fault? The grief had been eating Jim up for weeks. He couldn’t seem to get himself out of his slump. Then, out of the blue, a chance encounter completely changed his way of looking at the situation. He’d never suspected that meeting a complete stranger could change his whole view on life. One day, Jim performed a surprise visitation where he visited the firemen on the scene of a mild situation and worked alongside them to solve it. He and the men had resolved the issue and were preparing to head back to the station. His decision to show up that day would later feel like fate. The New York City Fire Department, better known as the FDNY, had over 10,000 firefighters working all over the area at various stations. Out of all the firefighters who could have been on the scene that day, Jim just happened to be in the right place at the right time to experience something too powerful for words… Suddenly, a young boy walked up to him with a special request. Jim was used to young children being excited to see the fire department or asking to check out the inside of the fire engine. But he could immediately sense that there was something different about this little boy… The young boy’s name was Tucker Dukes. He had been visiting the city for a fairly long time, even though he didn’t live there. To Tucker, New York City was the perfect place to continue his special hobby and interest. He never imagined that part of his dream would come true when he least expected it. Tucker and his mother had been staying in New York at the Ronald McDonald House. They were returning from an outing when Tucker noticed the FDNY firefighters nearby. He was so excited! It was the perfect thing to help cheer him up and make his day. After all, Tucker had a bit of an unusual pastime. Tucker and his mom were planning to head home soon when they saw Jim returning to his vehicle at the scene of the call. They approached Jim and struck up a conversation. Tucker said that he had a special request. Captain Jim was curious as to what the little boy would ask. Tucker explained that he loved firefighters more than anything in the world! His mother, Sarah, nodded in agreement, telling Jim that her son was fascinated by the fire service. Jim knew it was a common interest for young children, but he was surprised to hear exactly how far Tucker’s adoration went. Sarah told Jim that Tucker collected all kinds of trucks and little ornaments related to firefighting. He wasn’t all that interested in any other toys or subjects. The fire service was a huge part of his young life. Jim pointed out that Tucker’s clothing alone showed his interest was more than just a fleeting one. On top of his regular t-shirt and jeans, Tucker was wearing a firefighter jacket for kids. Jim thought it was absolutely adorable, and it showed how much Tucker cared about the fire department. He asked Sarah why Tucker had developed such a strong interest at that young of an age. The answer floored him. Sarah explained that her husband, Joshua, was also a firefighter. Tucker had grown up hearing about it and getting to visit his dad at the station. Jim was touched because it reminded him of his own family and how many of them had served together in the fire department. But when Jim asked if Sarah’s husband was part of the FDNY, he got an answer he never expected… Sarah told Jim they were from Maui, Hawaii, and would be returning there in about a week to reunite with her husband. The captain and the other firefighters smiled and wanted to know what the request was. But they all wondered silently why Tucker was in New York instead of in school in Hawaii. Sarah guessed they would be curious, so she explained: “Tucker has neuroblastoma. He was diagnosed about two years ago.” She explained that young Tucker had been diagnosed at the age of 1 year and seven months. They’d spent the last 19 months in treatment in New York. And now, it was time to go home… Neuroblastoma is an uncommon kind of cancer that often affects young children under the age of 5. Like other kinds of cancer, there is no cure for patients like Tucker. Doctors can only try to manage that type of cancer, which is why Tucker had come to New York for care. Even though Sarah and Tucker were excited to go home, it wasn’t the outcome they’d hoped for… The captain and his men wanted to know why Tucker was leaving, was he cured? Sarah shook her head, Tucker’s cancer was now in stage 4, and the family wanted to be together. The cancer had been tough to handle for a boy so young, but there was something else that was causing his body even more stress… Unfortunately for Tucker, the cancer wasn’t the only thing taking its toll on his body. Tucker’s medication was also difficult for him to tolerate. The doctors tried everything they could think of. He had gone through chemo three times and had two surgeries, all in the hopes of trying to remove the tumor. Sadly, none of the treatments was working. There wasn’t anything else they could try that could reasonably have been expected to work. Instead of putting her son through that, Sarah decided to take Tucker home to be with his family. After hearing Tucker’s story, Captain Jim was even more curious to know the young boy’s request. Tucker’s special request was to be a firefighter. Captain Jim stared at the young boy for a moment and then hugged him. He nodded and said: “Of course.” The other firefighters were equally touched and wanted to do anything they could to help. But Jim had a question of his own. Jim wondered why Tucker chose the FDNY instead of his father’s department in Hawaii. He didn’t want to accidentally upset Tucker’s father or cross some kind of line. Sarah explained that Tucker had seen Captain Jim in action and thought he was cool. Tucker loved the FDNY and all the amazing things he’d seen them do. Jim knew he would have his work cut out for him. Jim knew that Tucker cared more about becoming an honorary firefighter than he did about the pomp and circumstance. Still, he wanted to make it more special than just giving Tucker a badge and taking a few pictures around the station. He talked to his coworkers and thought about it. Finally, he had an idea. Jim hurried to implement his plan before Sarah and Tucker were scheduled to finish his last treatment and fly home to Hawaii. The FDNY captain talked to others in the department and set a date for Tucker’s ceremony to become an honorary firefighter. Jim was shocked to hear that they’d have some very special guests attending as well. Jim learned that Tucker’s father, Joshua, and some of their other relatives were flying to New York to see the ceremony. He wanted everything to be perfect so badly that he found himself worrying about what could go wrong. What if he got called away because of an emergency in the middle of it? What if Tucker didn’t like the ceremony? Jim knew he had been worrying for nothing when Tucker ran into the station and jumped into his arms. They hugged tightly and got ready for the ceremony. Tucker’s family cheered as his father carried him up the podium and helped him recite his vow to be a firefighter. Tucker’s dream had come true. He was a firefighter, just like his dad. But there was one more thing he wanted… A few days later, Tucker also celebrated his birthday with his family and the FDNY firefighters. Tucker’s wish was fulfilled. The family decided it was time to make another important decision, one that would hurt them to share with their loved ones. But it was the right thing to do. The Dukes family knew the heavy toll Tucker’s medications were taking on him. “We were trying so hard to keep him alive, and the thing that was meant to help wasn’t letting him live.” Together, Sarah and Joshua broke the news to their loved ones that they were ending Tucker’s treatment. But that wasn’t all… After choosing to end Tucker’s cancer treatment, the family decided to live life to the fullest as long as they could. They posted their journey and called it the Tucker Tough Challenge. There were still so many amazing things that Tucker could see and experience. So where would they even begin? Tucker, his parents, and three older siblings traveled on vacation together. They were determined to let Tucker see as much of what the world had to offer as possible. So Tucker and his family traveled across the globe, even heading up to Whistler, British Columbia, to learn how to sled. With a bigger family and medical bills to worry about, Joshua and Sarah knew it would be a challenge to afford all of these trips and activities. Still, it was worth it just to see how happy Tucker was. But there was another shock in store for Tucker’s family waiting around the corner… The Tucker Touch Challenge soon went viral, and the Duke’s family was overwhelmed with support from all over the world. Many people would stream and donate to their cause and were glad to see Tucker having fun in his very last moments; some even hoped Tucker would beat his cancer by some miracle… Sadly, Tucker passed away less than a year later in his mother’s house as they both rested in their Hawaii residence. He had fulfilled his dream of becoming an honorary firefighter and had the opportunity to spend time with his family. Tucker’s parents, Joshua and Sarah, had a surprising perspective about the death of their son. Although Tucker had passed away far too soon, his parents had little regret. They had done their best to give Tucker an amazing life full of joy and love. Even though it was painful to say goodbye, they wanted to celebrate Tucker’s life as well. They never expected what happened next… The firefighters at home in Hawaii and in New York City were incredibly saddened by the loss of the young boy. They all sent their well wishes to Tucker’s siblings and parents. Some of them wanted to do even more to honor Tucker’s memory. But what could they possibly do? The firefighters in Hawaii banded together and created a beautiful memorial mural for Tucker. Not only was his father, Joshua, a fellow firefighter in Hawaii, but they also knew how much the fire service had meant to Tucker. Joshua and Sarah were floored by the amount of support they received after Tucker’s death. But that wasn’t all. The second thing the firefighters did was add Tucker’s name to their official register. That would ensure that Tucker lived on in the memory of the fire service as well. His father, Joshua, took great comfort in the fact that his son would appear alongside his own name on the register. Still, losing Tucker was unimaginably devastating. How could they go on? Joshua knew the best thing he could do to keep Tucker close to his heart was to continue working as a firefighter, doing the job his son had loved so much. Joshua often visited the grave whenever he missed his young son. In time, he would see another side of Tucker’s illness and start speaking out. Although a few years have passed, Sarah and Joshua continue raising awareness for neuroblastoma and advocating for less harsh treatment use on young children like Tucker. “I don’t know what I’ll be doing in the future, but I hope someday, these harsh treatments won’t be used on someone else’s baby.” Another incredible story also containing a firefighter is about John. John was known as a loving husband and social man who got along with everyone. From an early age, he was obsessed with the fire department because of his father and grandfather, who also practiced this profession and who were his great examples. Unfortunately, John had recently received bad news about his father. Lately, his father noticed a sharp pain in his stomach. Since he initially ignored the pain in his stomach and postponed his visit to the doctor, the disease was at an advanced stage, and the doctor couldn’t help him anymore. Of course, John was completely upset by the bad news. When his father’s health deteriorated rapidly, John immediately rushed to the hospital to say goodbye to his father. He sat at his bedside, and they talked about the beautiful memories they had together. Like how he used to go with his father to the fire station as a little boy, but then the mood changed. Even though John and his father were talking about the great memories, there was also something that his father blamed on John. His father told him this with his last words, and it really touched John to hear this. After a period of doubt, he decided to tell this secret to his wife. At first, his wife Jessica had no idea that her husband was hiding something. She worked as a teacher, and she had met John in a bar several years ago. After the marriage to her first husband ended, she never thought she would find a new man, but with John, it immediately felt right. However, this would soon change. Lately, John had been behaving strangely, and more and more often, he was suddenly gone for a few days. When she asked him what he had done, he would say that it was for work and that he didn’t want to talk to her about it. This made her so suspicious that she was about to do something she later regretted. One day he told her he was having dinner with a female colleague. Jessica suspected he was in love with her and decided to follow him to the restaurant to see if her assumption was true. She discovered nothing that confirmed her assumptions and finally drove home in despair. Not knowing she would find out that night. Since his father used his last words to tell John the only thing that had caused him pain and grief during his life, John realized it couldn’t go on like this. It was the only thing he could think about, and it was eating him up. He gathered his courage, and on that sa,e evening, he told Jessica to sit down for a moment. Jessica was really surprised and initially thought, since it was almost her birthday, that John had a lovely surprise for her, like a sweet gift or a romantic dinner for two. But soon, she realized it was something totally different by the look on John’s face, and the mood turned. Jessica knew John was also previously married. But what she didn’t know, was that he had not always been honest about this. She immediately thought that he was going to tell her that he was still seeing his ex-wife or had fallen in love with another woman, but fortunately, this was not what he wanted to tell her. John explained that he had not always been completely honest and that he had another child from his previous relationship. However, he and his ex-wife had broken up with a big fight, and because of that, the judge had decided his ex-wife got full custody, and he could no longer see his child.  Needless to say, Jessica was completely in shock, and at first, she had no idea what to say to John. Despite the fact that her anger first dominated, she calmed down a bit after a while and wondered why he had never told her this. His answer really touched her. John had never dared say it to her because he thought it would scare her off. He was so in love with her that he didn’t want to lose her for anything, and the more time passed, the harder it became for John to tell her. Afterward, Jessica’s reaction to this was not at all what John had expected. Jessica told him she would eventually forgive him, even though he had kept it from him all this time. She understood that John’s father had experienced a lot of pain from this and felt that he had to take action himself to get back in touch with his son. She came up with an idea. In the following days, John took immediate action. Along with Jessica’s help, they looked for a way to get back in touch. After calling his ex-wife several times without success, John decided to get into his car and drive to her address. But when he arrived at her house, it was not what he expected. After sitting in his car for over half an hour hesitating near her house, he gathered all his courage and just rang the doorbell. As he walked to the door, he felt his heart pounding in his throat, and the seconds after he had rung the bell, seemed like hours to him. When, after nerve-wracking seconds, someone finally came to the door, John knew immediately that it was not good. It was, in fact, an old man whom John had never seen before, and was amazed that someone suddenly appeared at his door. But perhaps he could help John with his search. Unfortunately, the old man did not know where the previous owner had moved to. Only that she was forced to move out of her house along with her little son because she could no longer afford it. This broke John’s heart, and with tears in his eyes, he drove home. And after all these unsuccessful attempts to reconnect with his son or his ex-wife, he gave up. Even though he knew he had done everything possible in the end, he had a hard time accepting it. Simply because he felt that he had failed as a father and had disappointed his own father, until one day. It was on a normal day, when John was working at the fire station and, as often lately, was feeling not so well mentally. His colleagues noticed this as well, and they often asked John what was wrong and how they could help him, but John always said everything was fine. Until the moment a little boy walked in and even though John hadn’t seen him in several years he recognized him immediately, it was his lovely son. The feeling he got inside at that moment was a feeling of immense happiness, but then he saw that his little boy was holding a note. His little son gave the note to his father, and when he read the words written on the note, John immediately burst into tears. The note contained the words “Daddy I love you” and was written by his little son himself. John was glowing, but this was not the only surprise he got. A few moments later, his ex-wife walked into the fire station accompanied by his current wife. They were walking side by side, and they seemed to be getting along well. John was completely stunned and saw, by his wife’s facial expression, that she definitely had something to do with this. As it turned out, Jessica had approached John’s ex-wife herself after several unsuccessful attempts by him. She had explained to her how much John missed his son and that he was desperate to get back on good terms with them. But his ex-wife’s reaction was not what Jessica had initially expected. After John made several unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with his son, his ex-wife recognized that her little boy also deserved a father figure in his life. Eventually, Jessica convinced her to come to John’s work for a reunion of father and son, and this was not all. As the months passed, the relationship between John and his son became stronger and stronger. They intensely enjoyed each other’s company and did fun things together. But one day, his son suddenly asked what kind of person his grandfather had been, and this gave John a beautiful idea. John was so emotional and touched by the memories of his lovely father and wanted to make one last tribute to him. Of course, he did not want to do this alone, but together with his son. So as yet, three generations would be linked, and his father would be proud from above. By now, his little son, too, was crazy about the fire department because of John’s stories. Therefore, John decided to go with his son to his grandfather’s old fire station and pay their respects to him. It was a very emotional day, especially for John, who never dreamed this would ever happen again. Eventually, he also settled the argument with his ex-wife, and this made his son overjoyed to finally have both a father and a mother again. If John could have done it over, he would have told Jessica his story much earlier, but he is glad he did it after all, thanks to his father. In fact, things eventually went so well that Jessica and his ex-wife became close friends. They regularly went to each other for coffee or shopping together. It did John good to see them together like that, and we can definitely say that, in the end, it was one happy family.