Most little boys cling to dreams of becoming firefighters and police officers and they love anything that represents being a hero. Maybe it’s the sirens, the flashing lights or the cool uniforms. Whatever the case, these dreams usually last until young boys grow up, and while some stick to the original plan of becoming a public hero, others go off and take on other career roles.
But who is to say that those hero dreams die so young? Ninety-seven-year-old, Bill Grun can attest to the fact that these dreams stay for a lifetime for some. Grun had always dreamed of becoming a firefighter but instead, he was a teacher for most of his life. At 97, Grun resided at a retirement home in Pennsylvania and his fellow residents learned of his lifelong dream. When it was time for Grun to celebrate his 97th birthday, they thought that would be the perfect time to make part of that dream comes true, so the staff at the retirement home contacted the Doylestown Fire Company No. 1 and asked if they could send a station crew driver over in a big rig and take Grun for a ride. The fire crew agreed, and soon Grun was going for the ride of a lifetime.
Grun, who is sharp and fit for his age, got dressed in a green cardigan and a tie and hauled himself up onto the massive Ladder 79. While this was a big deal for Grun, it’s certainly not the first time that he has gotten out of the house. He still teaches Sunday school every week and drives a stick shift Model T Ford.
While Grun road on the firetruck, he shared stories of his days as a teacher with the rest of the crew and when it was time for the ride to end, Grun, who is exceptionally physically fit, got off the rig by himself and jogged away.
The fire company shared Grun’s ride on their Facebook site. The post said: “Happy birthday Bill and many more. You’re one of us now.”
This story is proof that it is important to hold on to your dreams no matter how old you are. While Grun didn’t pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter, he had his chance to be one for a day and it is a memory that he will hold onto forever. Based on how spry Grun is, maybe this will become an annual thing. The Doylestown Fire Company seemed to enjoy taking the senior around town and hearing about his days of being a teacher.
This also proves how important it is to communicate with others. Had Grun not shared this dream with his fellow residents and staff members at the retirement home, then they wouldn’t have known to plot the secret plan and make his dream come true for a day. The longer we know people, the more we find out about them, which is why you should never judge a book by its cover. Happy Birthday Bill.
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