It was exactly a week ago a friend of mine sent me the adorable picture that a friend of his took of three little boys watching Seattle fire fighters train their new recruits in Ballard.
My friend knew I’d love the picture not only because I’m married to a fire fighter but we have two boys who, when younger, liked to dress up like Dad.
At first glance I knew people would love the picture as much as I did, but I had no idea it would go crazy like it has! One week later I am still getting comments on it and am amazed it has “reached” more than 8 million people and has been “shared” more than 50,000 times!
Incredible.
Once I saw this, I had to call the mom who snapped the picture to see what she thinks about all of this.
Tanya Boyce told me she took her two boys – 2-year-old Arthur and 4-year-old Gerard – along with their friend Jude went to see the firefighters in training for three days last week. She told me the experience was “unbelievable.”
She has always had respect for first responders but now she says, “it’s on a whole new level!”
Tanya said the Seattle firefighters, both veterans and recruits, engaged the “little guys so much” and went so far out of their way to talk with them.
Tanya told me above all, rescue workers deserve attention and for that reason she is thrilled her picture has been seen and appreciated around the world!
She sent me a few more pictures (yes, I had to ask for more!) that we are sharing here in a slideshow.
One picture shows firefighters letting the boys spray water in the direction of the training fire across the street as the “real” firefighters actually put out the fire.
On the last day of training, Tanya took her boys and a few of their friends back out to Ballard. The “little firefighters” gave the big guys cookies and some thank-you drawings and then took a group picture.
Tanya told me because firefighters are such great role models for young children, she is so glad she took advantage of that training week and introduced her boys to people who made such a positive impression on them.
And yes, for now, the boys want to be “any kind of rescue worker.”
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