The I Have For My Grandpa

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.

Losing a grandparent at the age of 11 and younger was hard enough but losing one at the age of thirty-five hurt just as much. My grandmother is still living, I wasn't as close to them as I was to my other grandparents but there was still a relationship that was built throughout my lifetime. I had the chance to visit my grandfather while he was in the hospital. Regretfully when I went to see him he was too ill to have a conversation with, but my grandmother reassured me that it was ok because he knew I was there. My grandfather was cremated, this was the first time I attended a funeral where I saw a box of ashes holding someone who I loved. His funeral consisted our close family members and my grandfather's remains were placed in a mausoleum. His death affected all of us in one way or another, this was the first time I saw my dad cry. It makes me sad that he is no longer with us but glad he is no longer

When you think of losing a grandparent in your life, you think of them passing away. You dread the day you will get the call that they are sick. You then begin to cherish all the moments you have with them leading up to their passing. You have time to except their sickness, and come to terms with the outcome that is to come. My PopPop is not here anymore, but do not get confused, for he is alive. I did not have warning. I did not have time to cherish him. I did not have time to say goodbye. My PopPop was on no medication, which was almost uncanny for a 75-year-old. Trying to encompass everything he was boils down to a few things that may not seem like much to someone who didn’t know him. He went on a walk every night after dinner, and would whistle the same tune when he was happy. He played the same little ditty on the piano every time we were all in the living room. He was a simple man who could not harm a fly, and a good man. Unlike the grandchild warned when they are going to lose a grandparent, I did not have this notice. I did not have time to go on one last walk with him, and I did not have time to record him on the piano. I did not have time to replicate his whistling song, or to spend time with the man I knew. My PopPop was the heathiest man I knew, but then he got depression. First slowly, then all at once. The man I knew had slipped from my fingers without any chance to hold on tighter.

I have lost my grandpa and have not gotten over the idea of it. When I was in the sixth grade, my grandfather was very sick; he could barely walk. While my grandmother and some other family members went uptown for some household things, food, and medication, I was told to take care of him. Yet, I wanted to play with my friends outside. He told me to go ahead and play, but for some reason I just got mad and slammed the door and left. Around nighttime, I seen an ambulance pull up to my grandparents’ house.

When I was 13 I lost a very close family friend, that day is one I will never forget. He was like a second father to me; he taught me how to ride my bike, how to do a backflip on the trampoline, how to bake, all things I still use constantly. He had two kids, a boy and a girl, both which were older than me. My

Losing my mother, the most important person to me , was a life changing event that altered the way I see the world. Knowing that she is in a better place and at peace is everything I could've wanted for my mother. As me and my siblings grow older we miss her more every day. I have learned never to take someone for granted because we aren't promised forever with them. We have to make the most of who and what we

Sometimes, as we grow older, the future can seem unimaginable. I feel as if the future is like a firefly on a summer night. Yo go around trying to catch one, and once you think you caught it, it is gone. Then, you come back the next day, waiting to catch another, but once again, it is out of reach. The cycle keeps going.The main point is that we may think that we are nearing the future, but we will never arrive to that place. This said, I want everyone to know that we should be living in the moment. I occasionally remember the memories from elementary school, and I wish I could relive them. In the future, I want to look upon these days and want to relive them as well. Live each day to the fullest because it will never come

From that day on I now understand that one person can change your life, and how you act around people or towards things. Never take anything for granted. Say good positive things to people because never know when they are gonna die. When will I face something like this again? I hope to one day see my great grandpa again, but this time not on earth. I would give a million dollars to see him again and thank him for everything he did for me. The fall of 2006 was a gut wrenching experience that tore my heart apart. All I want to say is R.I.P great

I went from a single father to a wholesome family who actually ate dinner together and liked to hug and talk about their feelings. My world shifted upside down. This realization opened my eyes, and my heart. My father dying taught me to understand that many people with a hard outer shell are most likely being held back on the inside by something that has affected them. His death taught me to appreciate everyone and show kindness because that is what was shown to me during my time of need. My youthful family who adopted me, did not expect for me to feel like a part of a family or call them my parents. They got me counseling and showed me the affection that I needed to cope. Without these generous deeds, I would have crumbled. I believe whole heartedly that showing appreciation for those who also walk on this earth, like my parents did for me,will help anyone get through a rough day with a

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.

I clearly remember the day I found out about my granddad's passing. I was at school. It was a normal, joyful day. My dad was planning on picking me up, but instead my friend's mom picked me up. He would not tell me why, but I did not think much of it. I remember the car ride to my house. My friend's mom would not tell me why she was driving me home; all she told me was, "Just know, Ryan, that we will be here for you no matter

For example, my grandfather Jerry was a doctor and my Great Aunt Margaret and Pat were nurses. Anytime I was sick, my mom would always call her dad up and talk to him rather than rushing me to a doctor. When I was in the 7th grade, it was one of the hardest times of my life, Jerry was suffering from heart attacks and fluid in his lungs. I had never been exposed to the feeling of loss until he passed away. Losing one of my role models and someone that I cared deeply about made me a stronger person. Since his passing, I have seen more and more of my aunts and uncles than I had before, and growing strong relationships with all of them.

Losing my grandmother was one of the worst things that have happened to me. When she died, I knew my life had changed. I watched her take her last breath in the hospital and it was very heartbreaking. She was like my second mom because she was always with me. I didn’t think it would come so soon. Dealing with her death was one of the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to do. It was very hard because it was my second experience of losing someone very close to me around the same time of the year. I had to learn how to cope with losing her. I let all my emotions out, I didn’t listen to what anyone was saying, and I had to remember to take care of myself. Losing my grandmother changed me because she did everything for me. I had to grow up and be more responsible. I had to learn how

My sense of independence was shattered when my grandmother departed from this world. I lost my grandmother and this experience shattered my perspective of life. Losing a loved one was like having a wisdom tooth pulled without any Novocain.

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.