i'll never forget sacrifices you made,
you were worth so much more than what you were paid,
you were always on call, you got little rest,
you died doing your job, passed the hero's test,
you would come home, the smell of smoke on your clothes,
eyes red and burning, you'd have a runny nose,
you wouldn't trade jobs, in this you were content,
following your dad's footsteps...your compliment,
sometimes, i saw silent tears course down your face,
and that's when i'd ask God to give you grace,
you tried to save someone, sometimes they would die,
you tried to be macho--macho men don't cry,
this went against everything you were taught,
to save life and home, against nature's onslaught,
you weren't here the time our twin sons were born,
you were fighting flooding from a major storm,
you stayed behind, 'til they sounded the all clear,
you called, said you were on your way...never fear!
oh, how your eyes lit up when you saw your sons,
you called my folks...your folks...you called everyone,
you loved to take them to work, show them around,
they loved riding in the truck, the sirensound,
my macho man--strong, yet tender with our boys,
you loved your job, your family...we had joy,
then there was the day you died, fighting fire,
it was a bad one, situation, dire,
a little boy was caught inside of his home,
you'd already saved his folks, you heard a moan,
you went inside, and that's when the ceiling fell,
you're waiting in Heaven--you've already seen hell,
our twins want to be firemen, just like you,
somehow that doesn't surprise me...that's the truth.