Man fulfills lifelong firefighting dream on his 97th birthday
97-year-old man fulfills lifelong firefighting dream on his birthday – Source: Doylestown Fire Company
Bill Grun of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, got to fulfill his lifetime’s dream of becoming a firefighter on his 97th birthday. The lucky birthday boy was given the opportunity to ride in a fire truck and, of course, sound the siren.
Bill Grun’s residence, Wesley Enhanced Living, put together a surprise birthday celebration for him, as part of their WEL Wishes program, created to help their residents fulfill lifetime dreams.
The Doylestown Fire Company were happy to oblige.
“I was sitting in the parlor and they said, ‘Look out the window,'” Grun recalled.
“And I said, ‘Oh my golly, are we having a fire drill?’ Then they said, ‘We’re going to take you for a ride.’ I had a great time!”
The 97-year-old was particularly excited because he got to ride the largest fire truck in Doylestown.
“The first step is two feet up and I thought, ‘How am I going to get up into that?'” the birthday boy said.
“I grabbed hold of the hand rail and with a little assistance of the fireman I was able to get into the truck.”
“I put my foot down and the siren went off right away,” Mr. Grun added.
According to the Doylestown Fire Company, once Mr. Grun figured out how to sound the siren with his foot, “he was using it the whole ride”.
“He loved it,” Doylestown Fire Company’s public information officer, Larry Browne, said. “He’s amazing. He floored all of us.”
Bill Grun dreamed of becoming a firefighter for most of his life, ever since he visited a fire station as a boy scout.
97-year-old man fulfills lifelong firefighting dream on his birthday – Source: Doylestown Fire Company
The 97-year-old had an accomplished career as a teacher, instead. To this day, he still volunteers teaching at a local middle school every Friday, “his favorite day of the week”.
“I had a 37-year honeymoon teaching school,” Grun said.
“That’s why I still teach. I’m very fond of young people. I’m very invigorated by being around young people. Young people today are no different than they were when I started teaching in 1947. The only ingredient that’s been added is drugs. In those days we were worried about chewing gum.”
Grun spends the rest of his time singing in two different groups, riding his bike, or driving his antique Model T Ford.
“It’s conveniently parked across the street from a gas station, so I fill it up and go drive,” the birthday boy said. “I bought it in 1958. I bought it as junk and fixed it up.”
When asked about his secrets to success and a long, happy life, Grun answered “attitude”, plain and simple.
“You make up your mind that life is going to be good, and it is. As Orphan Annie always said, ‘The sun will come out tomorrow.'”
Mr. Grun has already made a wish for his 98th birthday: he would like to go on a helicopter ride.
