Why I Moved To Grand Valley State University?

My great-grandmother was the matriarch of my family. When I was in seventh grade, around thirteen years old, she passed away due to breast cancer. This misfortune created an extremely difficult time for me because, not only was I adjusting to the environment of junior high, but many other issues were occurring in my life; this was the third death that I was having to deal with. Unfortunately, one of the previous deaths (that I was still trying to hurdle through and come to terms with), had occurred almost exactly a year before the passing of my great-grandmother. The second death that I had gone through occurred only one or two months before my great-grandma has passed. All of this turmoil created numerous internal conflicts for me, but also taught me a key lesson to keep note of, for the rest of my life.

My grandma was my superhero with her genial personality and her ability to give you her full, undivided attention in order to listen to whatever you had to say. It was always my dream to be able to share both my high school and college graduation with both my parents and grandma and being able to later pay them all back for all their sacrifices. Towards the beginning of my sixth-grade year my grandma became unexpectedly sick and as months passed her health slowly began to deteriorate until she fell into a vegetative comatose for the next four years. My grandma’s sudden illness came as an unexpected surprise which leads to my mom and her family having to take turns in order to care for my grandma throughout her extensive hospital visits and inhome medical care. Throughout those four years both my emotional and mental health took a hit as I tried my best to learn how to deal with her sudden illness and the fact that my mom was rarely home because she was either in the hospital or at my grandma’s house in order to help take care of

My grandma Linda was her only daughter. I spent weeks at Ma’s house in Holstein, Iowa. Christmas for the Grell’s was always hosted at Ma’s house. When I was young she would take me swimming at the communities pool, and ice cream afterwards. Ma’ was an expert cook, her favorite summer dish was fried chicken. She was nearly famous for that fried chicken. In September of 2012 Doctors discovered a tumor in Ma’s liver. Ma’s children paid for an assisted living home in Sioux City, Iowa. She pasted away March 21, 2013. Leading up to March the relationship between my mother and her parents decrepitated. My grandparents refused to come to my high school graduation.

After a few months had passed, I remember seeing pictures of hanging up at family members houses and just coming across things in my room that she had given to me that always made me tear up and want to just scream and cry. My feelings are pretty much the same today and when I come across things that remind me of her I still tear up, I just remember she is in a better place now. Losing someone who means so much to you can never be easy. Just writing this story made me tear up and just made me remember her more and more. I don’t know what my life would be like today if I did not have her, like I said she was always there for me and when I was a baby, we lived with her because my mom and dad and brother had just moved from Colorado not too long before and were looking at houses so my grandma let us live with her for a while. My hero is my grandma and will always be her no matter

My grandma had survived a hard life, and yet managed to raise four responsible, well-educated, and successful children. All this she did while working as a respected psychiatric nurse and a state mental health board member. Although she had had and was still overcoming trials in life, I always knew she would be there and cared about me and my life. As my brother and I grew older and were unable to visit my grandparents as often as we

My Great Grandma was my best friend, I’m not sure how else to describe our relationship. She was someone I looked up to and hoped to be like when I grew up. She taught me a lot about life and how crazy it can be. Whenever I have tough days I replay her encouraging words in my head. Towards the end of February of 2013, my family received a call from my Great Grandpa to inform us that my Great Grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We found this out only a few weeks before we were supposed to head down to Arizona to visit them for spring break. Our family didn’t know how severe it was going down there, we came to find out she was genuinely unhealthy. She didn’t want to leave her room, she didn’t want to complete simple tasks, she would tell

In October of 2016, my grandma passed away from a hard battle with cancer. My grandma was my rock, the person who always pushed me to be better, the person who was always encouraging me to keep going, and the person who inspired me the most. During the battle, I experienced a lot of adversity. Whether it was school or cross country meets, that feeling never seemed to go away.

On January 5, 2009 my father pasted away. He and I did not have the typical father-son relationship; we did not have a relationship at all. I presumed that it would have a little if any affect on me. However, as the semester continued, it seemed to get worse. Besides my father’s passing, several weeks later my grandmother was diagnosed with dementia. It was difficult for me to deal with, but it was more difficult for my mother to handle.

Around six to three months before this tragedy occurred, my grandpa’s health had taken a turn for the worst. We would be awake at midnight, hearing him violently vomit crimson colored fluid. He couldn't get up or walk without my mother or grandma’s assistance. A brutal cough would take both his breath and voice away. Yet, he was so understanding and caring of both my brother and I. He would do everything he could to play with me or tell me a story, since he knew that I didn’t know any better. A couple months before his passing, I came home from school to find no one home except my anxious looking aunt and my then three-year old cousin. I remember running to my grandparents’ room to greet my grandparents, but when I opened the door, no one was there. I ran to my aunt and asked her where everyone was. I could see in her face that she was worried, but she tried to be as calm as possible so she wouldn’t scare me.

It had broken my soul when my mom told me the bad news. Ever since I moved down here nothing but bad things have been happening to me. I had to go back up to Ohio for the funeral. So when I cherished the moment because I never knew if I was going back. I miss my grandma a lot and I know she will always be with me. I’m glad she got to pass away in the best state in

When I was seven, I intentionally woke up my parents with a loud thump. It was my first night in America, as well as my first night ever away from my grandma. Among many things, my grandma is my best friend; she's the one I vent to, cry to, and laugh with. On the night my parents announced that my grandma decided she wouldn't be flying with us to our brand new home, a tear immediately formed from the side of my eye. But it disappeared as quickly as it had formed. The last thing she gave me was a handful of her favorite candy, trying to give me a little more of her heart. As she touched my hand, I felt her unconditional love for me through her countless wrinkles, and for the second time, the same tear started to form, but again, nothing shed.

That Friday morning, not knowing what was about to happen, I put my wife and kids on a plane bound for Florida. After leaving the airport, I called my mother-in-law. I told her my wife and the kids were on the way to spend some time with her. I told her that after my graduation the following Wednesday, I would be driving down to see her and I told her that I loved her. For the last time, just hours away from her death, she said loved me and that she would see me the following week. My wife made it to her mother’s bedside that night and got to speak to her

Her death came at a time when my life was already in an especially rocky state. My mother had been laid off and we were forced to pick up and move away from the town I grew up in to a completely new place. I had had to switch schools, move away from all of my friends, my brother, and my father. I think it was one of the most trying periods of my life. Her death hit me harder than anything ever had before. It was my first real loss and the first time I had ever experienced the true reality of death. You always think you'll get over it, and honestly, you never do. You always miss them, it never stops. Even to this day, four years later, I'm still struggling with feeling guilt, and often straining not to think about the "if onlys," and the "what ifs." But my grandma gave me so many amazing memories and moments. For several years I spent every single summer with her. She taught me how to sew, play the piano, and bake. She filled everyday with jokes and laughter and intriguing stories from her past. My grandma was the most free-spirited woman I've ever known; she loved life so much, and I think she truly tried her best to live every day to its fullest. And in my opinion, she lived the most fulfilled life I've ever seen. My grandma knew how to completely wrap the world around her finger and that's exactly what she did. She was filled with such a bright light, and when she smiled at you, she filled your entire being with happiness and

Ever since I was a little girl, my grandma has been my best friend. I spent almost every day with her as long as she wasn’t away traveling for work. When she wasn’t working we did almost everything you could think of and somehow always found ourselves at the mall by the end of the day. Although she had many other grandkids to show attention to as well, she always made me feel like the only little girl in the world. She treated me like a princess and I loved every minute of it.

Our family went to Sioux Falls for a cross country race and my great-grandma happened to be there for a very short time. While we visited her, my sister interviewed her for the IGS project and we got to hear her whole life story. She talked about her dad during prohibition, how her life changed during WWII, and the careers she chose. Her story made me think about what the life ahead of me had to offer and what I will go through. We had a blast spending time with her and before I knew it, we were saying our goodbyes, thinking that we would see each other again soon. Before we went to her apartment, I wanted to stay at the hotel and hang