Death Narrative

One night in January, I couldn't sleep and it was 4am and then out of the blue I got a call from my sister.. At first all I had was questions, “What do you mean his organs are shutting down?” And then she said it-- grandpa’s dying. She called telling me that our grandpa, who was battling cancer on and off for eight years,

Witnessing death was something that came surprisingly easy for me. I didn’t scream, I didn’t become sick, I was oddly settled.

A few weeks later was the funeral I walk into the church with my family and even though he was gone His spirit brought joy and tears to my eyes, the tears of sadness burned my face during the speeches. The open casket came around and my mom told me that I did not have to if I did not want to. My body did not want to go see even though inside me I felt it was my honor to go and take that moment to remember his

Cozy coffee shops, warm summers, friendly hugs…1.2.3. Disastrous events occur all the time. We are always aware that someone, somewhere in the world, is hurtling forwards into tragedy. Tragic endings leave behind unanswered questions, unfulfilled dreams, unspoken thoughts. Those who love you are left behind, in the dust of your presence, spent to forever remember only your memory, not your existence. Crisp slices of toast, piping hot cups of tea, fresh strawberries…1.2.3. We all tend to forget an end exists. We spend our lives compiling as many happy memories as we can, fully enjoying the good days, deeply mourning the sad ones. When tragedy strikes, only then are we reminded that the end is there, and we scurry and try once again to make the most out of

I remember it as if it happened yesterday. The strange sound of my mom's phone was loud and alarming. I decided to ignore it and go back to sleep. Soon after I went back to sleep, my mom came in my room. I sat up in my bed with my eyes half opened, and I remember the puzzled look on her face. It was frightening like if she had just been told something unexpected and upsetting. And at that exact moment, I knew exactly what she was going to say, and I froze in fear. She sat next to me and nervously mumbled ¨Your grandma passed away¨. I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to believe it. The exact same four words kept repeating over and over in my head and I felt like the whole world was spinning. Without even realizing, I then found myself bawling my eyes out. I had so many mixed emotions. I was heartbroken, I was angry and I was upset. My mom told me to get dressed since we were going to the hospital but I refused to go. I was upset and all I wanted to do was to be alone. My mom then left after having a talk with me about my grandma. I started to feel better and I was starting to accept that things happen for a reason, but it also started to feel like there was a huge hole in my

That day it went by to fast my brother and I tried spending as much time as I could with my dad. That night I went to bed sad I didn’t know if i would wake up in time to say goodbye to him. That morning I woke up and ran to see if my dad was still here. I ran into the kitchen first where I saw him eating ready to leave. He said that they were going to pick him up in ten minutes. Next thing you know we here a knock on the door. I went to answer the door it was some men in uniforms they were there to pick my dad up. My dad said goodbye to us I started to cry when he was leaving and so did my brothers and mom.

My dad picked me up from school that day. I felt really uncomfortable trying to ask if he had heard anything about my mom. He felt really uneasy and I knew something was up. I just thought that mom was hurt and he was trying not to alarm me. Once we got home he told me to “Sit down. I have important news to tell you.” I responded “Why do I have to sit down.” “Just do as I say” He said. I sat down pretty confused. “ Your mother is dead son. I knew how much you loved her and she meant to you.”He said. When I processed what he said my entire world came crashing

My mom kept saying "I have got to go see Fran. I need to see with my brother" My mom ran down stairs to get ready to go, I followed her and just stood there, still paralyzed. She hugged me and said that she loved me. I had never seen my mom so panicked. She went into the bathroom to take a shower and I could still hear her sobbing through the door. I was all by myself, now. I was standing in the middle of the family room as the words "He is dead" pierced my heart like daggers of ice. I was screaming OH, GOD NO, and started to cry uncontrollably. The realization that I would never see my uncle again struck me. After I got myself under control I went and packed my things to leave with my mother. As soon as we were done we were on the next flight to New Jersey.

We had just moved in March 2007 into my new house that my grandpa had built for us. I was so happy because I wanted to be closer to my grandma and grandpa. My grandpa was finishing up our house and his hip started hurting so he and my grandma went to the doctor. My mom was really stressed out because she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. One morning in April of 2007, my grandma and grandpa got a call from the bone specialist and they said that he had bone cancer and his hip was destroyed from it. Within the next few days they were planning hip replacement surgery. He had the hip replacement surgery and had to walk with a walker. Then things got worse because the cancer had now spread to his lungs and was stage 4 cancer. Within the next few months he had a massive stroke. Four days later my mom finds out my dad had stage 4 colon cancer and will not make it very long. One day later my grandpa took his last breath while holding my grandma’s hand. My mom was very upset about my grandpa dying and my grandma was screaming for him to come back. They had to take my grandma into another room so the funeral home could come in and get the body. My dad was still doing good at this time but then things changed.

I had just finished my basketball practice. I was feeling ecstatic because I was making baskets left and right like Kobe Bryant. My coach even told me that he has never seen me play like that before. Then I strutted outside and found my father parked outside the school in his large, brown pick-up truck. I hopped inside and turned my seat heater to high because it was frigid, winter weather outside. My dad made some casual small talk, then he gave me the news. He stated in a low, dull voice, “Hey Jack, grandma past away today.”

The holograms should’ve warned us to take a deep breath. Close our eyes. Then again, the holograms should’ve done a lot of things. Like told the truth.

My mom and I were sitting on a couch and my grandmother called and she was talking to my mom so my mom hung up the phone and she was crying so I asked my mom what’s wrong and she said your great grandmother died .

The day of the funeral was crushing. I got dressed in my dress and got my hair braided. My family and I drove to the funeral home. I started crying as soon as I got out of the car. I walked into the place. Most of my family was already there. I could tell they had been/ were crying. Honestly I didn't want to believe this was happening. I wished that this was just a dream. The family stood up at the casket. I looked into the casket I looked at my mammy she looked beautiful. Memories flashed through my mind. I was forever gong to miss her I still do. People I didn't know were coming up to us saying how sorry they were. after a while we all sat down. The preacher was up at the podium saying how great mammy was. After the funeral we drove to the graveyard were it continued there. The preacher talked some

Sergeant Barnes took a long gulp from his bottle that was still glistening with condensation before letting out a long burp of satisfaction. “Found them in a cooler just off the mess hall, want one?” Brayzack looked at the sergeant queerly. The sergeant sat idiotically grinning at him with a stainless-steel bucket of iced up bottles before him. “No thanks, it’s a little too early for me. You know that that’s a sign of alcoholism though, right?” Sergeant Barnes took a quick pull off his cigarette and powered the smoke out his lungs. “I think you mean drinking alone is a sign of alcoholism, sir. Which I’m not, Jarvy here is having one too.”

When we arrived into the room everyone was circled around my grandfather. We all could hear the chirping of the monitor that showed his blood pressure and his heart rate along with his oxygen levels. It was peaceful for me. I walked to my grandfathers bed. I held his hand, and squeezed it. I could feel a squeeze back and it sent a shock throughout my arm. We did that back and forth for hours. I talked to him but he couldn't talk back. He was sleeping, but yet he wasn't sleeping. When everyone left the room to go to the quiet room I stayed. I turned to my phone and started playing the music that he listened to. The time I was with him was amazing. I remember this one song that came on. "Daddy's girl." My grandpa loved Red Sovine. When the song turned on I felt a squeeze in my hand. Time felt like it stopped and everything went silent when I heard my grandpa humming to the tune. The next morning at 6:29am, my grandfather had passed away.