Will promoted to chief

Yesterday, I attended the SAFD promotion ceremony--ten engineers, five lieutenants, two captains, and two chiefs.

Will was introduced by a chief who had been his lieutant back in rookie days.  "This is a man who, when you first meet him, you know he has what it takes to do anything," he said.  "He's the best we have."

His mama is teary at this point!

Then many of his fellow firefighters who'd taken off the day to attend the ceremony, men whose officer he'd been in two stations, came up for their own "family picture" with Will, cheering and slapping him on the back, even presenting him with a boot--one more practical joke, which firemen play on each other every chance they get.  There was hearty laughter--even though those of us in the audience of families didn't know the back story.

I've been to Will's baseball games, his college and fire academy graduations, his outdoor wedding, and every track event in high school. Having three grandsons already,  I jumped up and screeched when he walked out of the delivery room 5 and a half years ago and said, "It's a girl!"  She was a tiny premie in neonatal ICU, and I watched him watching her intently those early days,  hanging on to the words of the nurses, "She's a strong one."

We parents remember our children as babies, children, and teenagers; this little guy I watched coming into the world and have loved him for 39 years.  When our little boys are men, we rarely see them doing the work they've chosen.  We don't know all their friends and co-workers.  Yesterday was a day to meet Will's other family--his family of firefighters.

After the ceremony, the chief who had introduced him told me, "That guy has the biggest heart and he's an amazing leader."

Will was a shy little boy, but he became the quintessential extrovert. When he was in high school, I remember shopping with him and watching him strike up conversations with strangers and running into people he knew everywhere we went.

His role model was always Granddaddy--and we both wished he could have been there yesterday.  He reminded me so much of my daddy as he walked around the room talking to and shaking hands with  everyone, smiling in that granddaddy way.

Chief Hood, chief of the entire department said, "I love Will! I just love Will!"

Will's family and Chief Hood

Nathan and Elena pinning the bugles on their dad's collar

I love you, Chief!