The following is cut & pasted from an email from Carlene's grandma on John's side of the family (Jim is Carlene's grandpa)
About 28 years ago, Jim became acquainted with a wonderful little boy (6 or 7 years old at the time) who was terminally ill with leukemia. Jim and some of the guys from DPS, became his buddies; they made him the only honorary DPS patrolman in history, had his own official uniform made and presented to him. He came to the DPS compound where Jim took him for a ride in his patrol car, let him use the loud speakers & siren. He got to ride in a DPS helicoptor. He got to be on a DPS motorcycle with Officer Frank Shankowitz. The whole department fell in love with this little boy named Chris Grecius. Several days after his big event at DPS, his mom called Jim and said she was taking him to the hospital; Jim spent the next several days at the hospital with his mom & dad; and Jim and I were with this little boy when he passed away. His mom & dad had left the hospital to change clothes and weren't there when he passed away.
About 28 years ago, Jim became acquainted with a wonderful little boy (6 or 7 years old at the time) who was terminally ill with leukemia. Jim and some of the guys from DPS, became his buddies; they made him the only honorary DPS patrolman in history, had his own official uniform made and presented to him. He came to the DPS compound where Jim took him for a ride in his patrol car, let him use the loud speakers & siren. He got to ride in a DPS helicoptor. He got to be on a DPS motorcycle with Officer Frank Shankowitz. The whole department fell in love with this little boy named Chris Grecius. Several days after his big event at DPS, his mom called Jim and said she was taking him to the hospital; Jim spent the next several days at the hospital with his mom & dad; and Jim and I were with this little boy when he passed away. His mom & dad had left the hospital to change clothes and weren't there when he passed away.
To make a long story short, that was the beginning of Make-A-Wish; the DPS friends of Chris Grecius started the whole program, with only about $17.00. After that, it became a world wide organization for terminally ill children; but about 10 years ago, it was changed to be for seriously ill children.
Who knew that 28 years later, we would be actually needing them for our own granddaughter?
Who knew that 28 years later, we would be actually needing them for our own granddaughter?
That is absolutely amazing. I stayed up late last night reading all the wishes on the website. Each one made me want to cry tears of happiness that kids got to experience their dreams.
ReplyDelete