Most people can think of a time they felt truly inspired. This is especially the case for a fire captain who was shocked to comprehend the impact a little boy would have on his entire life at a time when he needed it most. A young boy visited a fire station that would ultimately change many firefighters’ lives forever. The fire captain and his men were brought to tears when the child handed him a note with a request on it. It’s something nobody expected. Continue reading to find out what happened between the firemen and the young boy.

Meet Jim Grimzer

Jim Grimzer had been born and raised in New York City for his entire life. He was the captain of the Fire Department of New York, which was no surprise as he came from a family of firefighters. He loved serving his local community.

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The Dangers of the Job
While on the job, Jim had suffered a tragedy that left him confused about what he was supposed to do with the rest of his life. Nonetheless, he understood the dangers of his job but this situation hit home for him.

Losing a Good Man
Jim had lost a good man that was on his team. The team member was a young man who had recently joined the department. The captain had only met the new firefighter on a few occasions, but he still felt responsible for his men.

The Tragic Day

The grief that Jim had felt because of the Fire Department’s recent loss had eaten the captain up for weeks. He couldn’t seem to get himself out of the deep hole he had found himself in. That’s when a massive change came his way.

A Special Visit

Jim performed a surprise visit one day where he went to the scene of a mild situation and helped the team. The group resolved the issue and prepared to head back to the station. He wanted other firemen to know that he had his team’s back.

The New York Fire Department

FDNY has more than 10,000 firefighters working across the area at various stations. Due to this, many firefighters could have been at the scene on one specific day, but Jim was in the right place at the right time to experience something powerful.

The Special Request

A young boy walked up to Jim with a special request he wanted to ask. It was normal for Jim to have young and excited children come up to him to see the fire engine. However, he could immediately sense that this boy had something else in mind.

Meet Trucker Dukes

This young boy was named Trucker Dukes. He had been visiting the city for a relatively long time. To the young boy, New York City was the best place to continue his special interest. He wouldn’t have imagined that his dream would come true.

Happy Surprise

Trucker and his mom were staying in New York and resided in Ronald McDonald House. The pair were returning from an outing when the boy noticed the FNDY firefighters nearby. He became increasingly excited. That’s when he spotted the captain of the Fire Department.

Starting a Conversation

Trucker and his mother had planned to head home when they saw Jim walking back to his fire engine while at the scene of the call. That’s when the pair approached the captain and started a conversation with him where Trucker revealed his special request.

Trucker’s Heroes

Trucker explained to Jim that he loved firefighters more than anything on the planet. His mother nodded in agreement with her son’s statement. Trucker was fascinated by the fire department. This was common but Jim was surprised to hear exactly how far this adoration went.

He Was Committed

Trucker’s mom, Sarah, had told Jim about the different trucks and ornaments her son kept that were related to firefighting. He wasn’t interested in any other topics or toys. The fire department was a massive part of the young boy’s life.

His Outfit

Trucker was dressed in regular jeans and a t-shirt, but he also had a firefighter jacket above this. Jim found this to be absolutely adorable and it also showed him how much Trucker cared about firefighting. Jim asked Trucker’s mom what inspired his love for firefighting.

His Reason

Sarah told Jim that her husband was a firefighter. Due to this, Trucker had grown up hearing about firefighting and always visited his dad at the fire station. This touched Jim’s heart because it reminded him of his own family.

A Long Way from Home

Jim asked Sarah if her husband was part of the New York Fire Department, and he received a shocking answer. Sarah and Trucker were originally from Maui, Hawaii, and were returning there in a week. This was where Trucker’s father worked.

Trucker’s Condition

Everyone was puzzled by this because they would have expected Trucker to be in school in Hawaii. Sarah explained that he had neuroblastoma and was diagnosed two years previously. Sarah and her son were in New York for Trucker to receive treatment.

A Rare Condition

Neuroblastoma is a rare form of cancer that typically affects young children under five years old. There’s no cure for patients like Trucker who suffer from the disease. However, doctors can manage this, which is why Trucker comes to New York City.

Stage Four Cancer

The captain and his team were curious about why Sarah and Trucker were leaving New York City. Trucker was on stage four and the family decided that they would rather be together. There was nothing more they could do to help Trucker.

Even More Stress

Although Trucker’s body had endured a lot through his treatments, something else was causing him even more stress. His medication was taking a massive toll on his body. The doctors tried everything. He had gone through two surgeries and had chemo three times.

His Treatment

None of the treatments had worked to remove his tumor. There wasn’t anything else the doctors could do to help him. That’s why Sarah decided it would be best to take Trucker home to be with his family. This saddened everyone.