Moment In My Life

The year was 2015 and in my mind it was going to be one of the most pivotal moments in my life. I was turning 16, getting my driver’s license, inching closer toward adulthood, gaining my independence, and free from adult responsibilities and worries. What I did not know was that one catastrophic event would have such a devastating impact on my life.

I never really knew my grandpa as well as I would have liked. He was already an old, old man by the time I started high school, and my own memories of him are mostly of a man confined by age and ailing health. So I'm not really going to talk about my memories of him. Instead, I'm going to try to share his memories and the memories of those that knew him.

My grandpa is the best grandpa ever , he teaches me stuff and always cheers me up when I'm sad . He always helps me when I don't know what I'm doing and no matter what we are doing doesn't matter if it's working or not we always have fun together and I know I don't see him a lot but when I do I cherish the moments I have with him . That is why my grandpa is my Michigan hero

Along with being supportive, my grandpa is one of the most selfless people I know. Whenever my family needs help with anything he is the first person we call because we know that if anyone can do it, or is willing to do it, it’s him. My dad owns a landscaping and plowing business, so he is always wearing down his trucks, causing them to break down a lot. Papa is always up to the challenge of fixing them, even though he never has to. One thing that is really important to him is family, he has always, always put family first.

Most people have impacted my life, but one person particularly has impacted my life greatly. My granddad was the person that has impacted my life ever since I was born. Even though my grandpa has been dead for 10 years going on 11 he still impacts my life daily. Since we had a close relationship I always knew when he is around even though he is gone. He would have inspired me in ways that most people never didn’t. I miss him plenty, but luckily his spirit is still with us no matter what happens.

My grandpa was my biggest inspiration in life until the day he died. The day he died was something I never wanted to experience. That day changed me. He was the most amazing man in my eyes. He loved unconditionally and was always there for us kids. My grandpa was in no way, shape, or form perfect. He made mistakes, but he always taught me differently. Nine years ago, when my grandpa passed, he left his mark on my family and I. grandpa, even though made mistakes, was an amazing man. He worked hard every day, loved unconditionally, and lived life to the fullest.

My grandpa brung me joy in life. He had silver in his hair and gold in his heart. He’s my guardian angel in heaven and he’s watching over

In middle school, the relationship I had with my grandfather was one which was unbreakable. Even though he did not live in the same state, and I had both of my parents in the home he was always there for me. We place bets with each other over sporting events, like the World Series or the NBA Final, and the loser had to pay up whenever we were together again. Because I lived in North Carolina and he lived in upstate New York, we only saw each other once or twice a year, but he made we had together the most enjoyable. When my family would make the trip to New York I could not wait to see him because we talked about the various thing we were going to do when we were finally together, things like going to restaurants, going to amusment parks, and going to the mall. As a young child, these were all things you love to do, and he would make these events family outings, so all my cousins who were around the same age would come as well. This brought our family very close. While he was alive I was played every sport, and excelled in most of them. I enjoyed golf in particular because it was a sport my grandfather never really played, making him fascinated in every aspect of the sport. Although I was a superb athlete, I was good student as well. I made honor every year and that was what made him the proudest. Of all his grandchildren, there were only a few of us who excelled in school, and he incentivized us to keep up the good work by giving us money. Needless to say, there was not a

As we ran for the indoors on a rainy day I would be worried that he would melt. When we got inside he would tell me that he would never melt away with me by his side. My grandpa has a positive impact on me because he has a good sense of humor, teaches me valuable life lessons, and his ability to do anything he puts his mind

He truly did love his family more than anything. My grandpa would post on Facebook all of the time about an achievement one of us grandkids made or post pictures with us. Grandpa Jim would always come to big events for us grandkids. He would drive hours to come see us and would do anything for us. When we would visit him in Pierre, he would wake up before the sun to go get us fresh donut shop donuts before they ran out because those are our favorite donuts. He would wake up the next day, again, to make us our favorite homemade breakfast, croissant French toast, with his special bacon. Grandpa would take us on motorcycle rides when we asked. He took us to the sale barn in Pierre to entertain us. My Grandpa loved us grandkids so much. My cousin named his daughter after my grandpa; that is just one small thing that examples how much we appreciate Grandpa Jim. Grandpa had a love for his family that was so strong; I hope one day I love my own family that much. Grandpa was there for us through it all and I admired how much he loved his

My grandpa has always just been that person who always helps me and drives me to do what I want to do.

I distinctly remember the weeknights at his house. Sitting upon his lap, walking down the street, getting pulled in my wagon through a park--these were things I loved doing with Grandpa. I was not just another person to him: I was the ultimate grandson, and I was special.

My grandfather, J. King Burk, has been there for me through thick and thin since the day I was born. We have a connection most grandparents and grandchildren don’t have because he was there for my brother and I when my parents separated. He understands what is like to be raised by one parent, he is there for me when I need him the most, and I keep him in mind when making important

For many people, Grandpa is a storyteller, someone to go fishing with, and someone who has your back no matter what. The experience I had with my grandpa was a little different. I never got the opportunity to meet my great-grandfather Liston Grider, but he still somehow managed to have a huge impact on my life. Sometimes my mom would tell stories about him; happy memories from her childhood, sad ones that were painful for her to tell, and everything in between. I thought I had heard it all, but this past summer I learned something about my great grandpa that would perhaps impact my life forever. This story was not told by my mom like usual, but by someone who was a complete stranger to me. The lessons I learned would not be taught in a single day, but over the span of a month through a series of Facebook messages and letters in the mail. The words I read upon opening those messages and letters would change my life forever, permanently transform my beliefs, and show me what it truly means to be an American.

Grand Daddy had started out life with what his family had given him and that was not much. Grand Daddy worked hard to be able to provide for his family and he never let any of us forget it. He instilled hard work and dedication in me from an early age. I can remember when he would come and pick my sister and me up and take us to do yard work. I loathed doing yard work but he taught me that hard work pays off because our reward was a home cooked meal from Grandma. No one ever passed up a meal made by Grandma.