Firefighter Buys Antique Flint Fire Truck As a Wedding Gift- The Good News

The truck has appeared in countless rolling cruises, parades, and even in the movie Semi Pro.

Flint firefighter Rico Phillips purchased the 1968 American LeFrance fire truck back in 2003. He says that it was still in commission when he was a kid, and he fell in love with it when it used to make runs through his neighborhood in Flint.

Recently, he put it up for sale in an online auction. And the guy who ended up buying it is a Clio firefighter, who bought it as a wedding gift for his fiance. His Facebook post reads:

The day has come to turn the page... Since I was a little boy I loved fire trucks! The roar of the engines and the lights flashing and sirens wailing used to get me so excited that it helped me to be ambitious and follow my dreams to become a firefighter. All I ever wanted to do was drive one of those beasts! I got my chance many times especially when in 2003 I purchased my very own ladder truck. For the past 14 years I have had the time of my life driving it to parades and shows all around our county. I shared my truck with many children and adults alike. Whether it was for a birthday party, church or school function or Back to the Bricks and the Rolling Cruise. The muster's in Frankenmuth opened me up to a whole new world of fire engine enthusiast and I met some great people along the way. I can't forget that my truck also found its way into the movie "Semi-Pro", even if it was only the back two-thirds of the truck that made the cut ;-). How lucky was I to be able to represent myself, my department and my city every time I drove it! It literally became a symbol of me! While it has given me & my family joy it is also a huge burden to store and maintain. Since my interests have changed over time the best thing to do was to sell it to another enthusiast for him & his family to enjoy. While it may seem sad for me, I am finding joy in knowing that the new owner is himself a firefighter (in Clio, MI) and he assured me that he would take good care of her knowing the amount of sentimental value that it not only has to me but many other retired Flint firefighters. So if you see it running down the road in the future, don't look for me but look for its new owner, Jeff Holbin. Give him the same smile and wave that you gave me for so many years!!