grandpa mike

I've been driving around Grandpa's old Buick since his passing in May. What a gift it's been.  Every time I get in it I'm reminded of the selfless man he was and how much I miss him. This is what I wrote on the bus to State Track the day I found out he left this world:

Last night the world lost a good man. Grandpa Mike had unshakable will. He lived fully for his family. His patience and witty jokes was a true testament to that. One hot July day, we were walking under the big oaks to the ice cream shop a few blocks from the house. I remember him playfully teasing me...about who knows what...but he wouldn't stop until he got a smile. I looked up at him with wonder..."I married your grandma to make her smile" he would say "I complete her". And he did. His dependability under all the family chaos held us together like glue. His intelligence blows my mind...he was unbeatable in any card game we played. Except for the few times he wasn't and that's probably because he let us win. (Or because grandma won that time). Cars was his favorite movie in the whole world. During the holidays, we would go down to the basement and build the toy train tracks around the Christmas tree and solve puzzles till dinner time. He was so selfless...quietly offering help wherever there was a need. Last year, a few weeks before we found out about the cancer, him and grandma spent the entire day supporting me at the regional swim meet and then drove from the pool to the gym to watch one of our last basketball games that same night. As we walked to car after an exhausting day, he gave me a hug and looked me in the eyes and told me how proud he was of me. For a guy who keeps to himself majority of the time...this meant the world. I'll never forget it. He was a good man. I hope he's reunited with his sister in heaven right now. Rest In Peace Grandpa Mike.