...Against incredible odds a great man was born July 14, 1945, my grandpa Bobby Dean Moore Staton. He is a reflection of the good times and some bad times. My grandpa is who helped make the structure for who I am. When he was young he lost his mother and he and his five other siblings went to stay with my great grandma Lula Mae. Grandma Lula Mae raised him as well as her own five kids in a three bedroom house. My grandpa being the second oldest after his older brother Arthur left for the service, took care of his five siblings. At the tender age of 11 when he was diagnosed with polio and became paralyzed on the left side of his body, this did not stop this extraordinary man from getting a job and providing for his family. My grandpa was providing and dealing with hardships as a young boy, but he never left his family even at his own weakness. When he got into to his late teens he met my grandmother and used to ride his bike to see her all the time. When he finally asked for her to marry he bought her a house and moved from Greenville, NC to Bridgeport, Ct. Being the family man he ended up with two kids and 12 grandchildren. After working for many years the family received gut-wrenching news when he got into a car accident that left him seriously injured. He was so badly hurt that metal rods, poles and plates were placed in his jaw, legs, and feet. The family seemed down when my grandpa remained in the hospital for weeks. My grandmother even had to let him stay in the hospital care...
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...Rashaun Sells Mr. Wallin WR. 121-04 18 March 2013 Harold Michael Lawless There are many people that are special to me. I have my mother who is my best-friend, my older brother who was the man in our family that helped raise me, and my little brother, who is so kind, gentle, and the happiest kid that keeps a smile on my face. They all are special to me, but there is one person who is at the top of my special list. When I was a young kid, I always wanted to be down at the bowling alley. Why is this? This is because that’s where he loved to be. I’d walk into the bowling alley; it would be loud, with the mix of music and peoples laughter. I’d look down by the lanes to see if he was there, and if he wasn’t, I’d keep walking. It felt like there were hundreds of people around. Finally, I would find him, by one of the lanes. As I’d sit down, I’d smell the corn dogs and french-fries coming from the concession stand. Every now and then you could hear the balls hitting the lanes, then the knocking of the pins going down. I remember watching him bowl, in my mind he was the best one there. He had the perfect form, he’d release the ball and his thumb would come up to his ear, and I would say the words that he says to me when he taught me the form, “yah, just like that kiddo, make sure you take that thumb to your ear, slide it over the top of that ear, swipe your hair back, and say, I’m a cool kid!” The ball would hit the lane, knock the pins down, and then I’d hear everybody around...
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...lifetime, but none has had such an astounding impact like my grandfather Antonio. I was only six and naïve when he passed, and I thought he would be with me forever. A couple months before his passing, we went out take a walk and he told me his motto in life: “Live life, don’t let it live you.” As I recall, no one has had such an impact in my life with words as my grandpa Tonio. I was born in a small ranching town in Zacatecas, Mexico. All everyone knew how to do was herd cattle and grow cash crops as most people only completed 6 years of schooling. At the very young age my grandfather (with the absence of my dad in the U.S.) took me out with him to take the cattle for grazing in the morning and to plow the crops during the afternoon. While walking and herding the rowdy cattle or sitting in the tractor while plowing everlasting fields of crops, grandpa Tonio would tell me stories of how he met my grandma or how he had to leave his home to come to the U.S. and work under the Braceros Program. Never did I hear my grandfather complain about a thing in his life, which I imagine was harder than I could ever think it to be. Grandpa Tonio always did tell me to not only be kind to others, but to also be kind to yourself because in the end, all you have is yourself; your life to live. Despite having a loving father, my grandfather was the only father figure I really had for the first seven years of my life because my dad was in the U. S. working to support us back in Mexico. He taught me...
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...missed patches of whiskers, along with big, bushy, white eyebrows and eyes as blue as him GMC truck. This is my caring, take-the-shirt-off-your-back Grandpa. Ever since I can remember, my brother and I have been calling my grandfather on my mother’s side Grandpa Up. Being that my grandparents live on Lake Vermilion, we...
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...Heroes come in many forms, although some may see heroism in different ways, everyone can agree veterans carry the traits of true heroes. Heroism is defined as doing something to help others without expecting anything in return. Many people could be described as heroes, and my Grandpa is one example. My Grandpa, Andrew Joseph Schemenaur, was a hero because of the vital role he had in the Marines and the way he sacrificed two years of his life to serve his country. He turned eighteen on September tenth and he left for the service September thirtieth the year after he graduated high school, which happened to be right at the end of World War II. Grandpa Andy was a true hero. Sacrifices are often made by heroes to help others, and my Grandpa sacrificed two years of his life and relationships with people to help serve his country. Right after high school he got up and left to go to Camp Lejeune, leaving everything he had behind to help...
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...In Cold Sassy Tree, the citizens of Cold Sassy typically characterize Grandpa Blakeslee as rude and gruff. The town likes to gossip about little things and big things alike, and Grandpa Blakeslee gives the town plenty of big things to gossip about. For example, someone at Will’s “survival party” said, “You want my opinion, Rucker’s been hoping to get shet a-Mattie Lou [his wife] ever since he laid eyes on the milliner.” Because Grandpa disobeyed the established societal norm, people think that he wanted to get rid of his wife because he was lusting after another woman. Smiley Snodgrass’ grandmother even goes as far as to say that she thinks that the only reason Grandpa Blakeslee married Miss Mattie Lou was to get all of the land that her...
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...My grandpa had been sick for a long while. My grandpa got strokes but they didn’t make him bed bound he just needed daily checkups. He shopped most of his time or, was on the computer he always got me treats and he built stuff in his spare time. My grandpa had many old car a red convertible was my favorite. My grandma was healthy at the time and always worked in her garden. Her bones and muscles were weak so she broke her bones a lot but she was strong for her age. She always wanted me and my sister to ride horses and go to her house but she wasn’t a person give up for some stuff that’s mostly why she broke so much bones. She likes hunting where I hate it i like meat though that's not something i can give up so at my house I mostly eat free...
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...and realized he had the capability of doing something that would help people around him, so he did it. Beowulf lived a great life and achieved all the duties he came across. Because of the great life he lived, Beowulf earned a celebration in the event of his death. People felt a great sorrow when he died, but were able to think of all the great tasks he accomplished and used his life as an example for theirs. In my life, my Grandpa Dale has this effect on me due to his success, his willingness to help others, and the way people remember him presently....
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...Morrissey, we are able to learn about Grandma and Grandpa Kaspaw and how deep their connection is. Grandma Kaspaw demonstrates her first act of love by saving her grandson “she saved me from my own mother, who wanted to tie me in a potato sack and throw me in a slough.” (Erdrich 275) Grandma Kaspaw loved her family and did whatever it took to make sure they were taken care of. In the story Grandpa Kaspaw suffers from Alzheimer’s disease “So I didn’t really listen to hard when the doctor said this was some kind of disease old people got...” (Erdrich 276). This disease really begins to test the love that Grandpa and Grandma have for each other. It is very hard for Grandma to watch him go through this “second childhood” (Erdrich 275) as Grandpa calls it. During this time his behavior is erratic and he does things that are very out of character. The catalyst in this story is Lulu Lamartine, who is a female on the reservation that has had a crush on Grandpa her whole life. She takes advantage of Grandpas disease and allows there to be relations with herself and Grandpa. “but even Grandma had trouble keeping her patience once he started sneaking off to Lamartien’s place…. That’s one of the reasons why he goes.”(Erdrich 276) This is very hard for Grandma to deal with but her love for Grandpa stays strong, and she tries all kinds of things to help bring Grandpa back to her. “Grandma tried to get me to put the touch on Grandpa soon after he began stepping out.” (Erdrich 276)...
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...grandparents, parents, or a sibling. For me that person is my grandpa. My grandpa is one of the hardest working people I have ever known. People always say that my grandpa and I are very similar. One thing that stands out about our similarities is that we both played baseball in college. My grandpa grew up on the west side of Chicago in a neighborhood called Garfield Park. He grew up in a lower class family that often couldn’t afford nice things. Since he loved the game of baseball, situations would sometimes come down to if he wanted a new baseball glove or new cloths. My grandpa no brainer would pick the baseball glove. After high school, my grandpa went on to attend Western Illinois University on a full baseball scholarship. During his baseball career at Western Illinois, a lot of pro scouts would come to see him play. Teams would send him letters and even visit with him to talk about his future. My grandpa was never interested in playing professional baseball though. It always was hard for me to understand why he never took up the chance to be a professional baseball player. I mean let's be honest, who doesn’t want to be a professional athlete when you’re a kid? Whenever I would ask him, my grandpa would always tell me “Matt there are way more important things than playing a game that involves hitting a ball with a stick in life”. Being young and dumb, I would also ask too, what can be more important than that? My grandpa would look at me and say, Family first. As I grew older...
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...had happened. Since I was a little kid, my grandpa, Howard Scheuster, has always been a role model in my life. He was an intelligent man, loyal Christian, prominent family leader, and hard worker, thus I had many reasons for looking up to him my whole life. My grandpa was a victim of the affects of Lymphoma cancer for thirteen years. Ever since I remember knowing my grandpa, he has had cancer, but I would have never known it. When looking back at my grandpa, I remember an avid fisherman, fanatic cigar collector, Chicago White Sox follower, and jazz lover; but possibly the aspect of him I remember most was his many simple, yet captivating stories about his past. My favorite of these stories had to be the descriptive flashbacks of how he had met my grandma and all the romantic, exciting jazz clubs they had spent there weekend nights at. During the last summer of my grandpa's life, I was fortunate enough to spend more time with him than ever before. Unaware of what the future would bring, I guess I just hoped and thought that my grandpa would be fine and healthy forever. Unfortunately, my grandpa began to slip, and various treatments, such as chemotherapy, tragically failed. My grandpa soon lost his appetite, something I thought my grandpa would never lose, because he was such a food lover. His body frame began to shrink, and his bones began to show. Although in much pain and helplessly attached to his bed, my grandpa was always in good spirits, and always had...
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...boy of about ten walks to centre stage) Boy: Why are these people doing this. Frozen in time not knowing what is in front of them. Confused as if lost in a world of puddles. What are they looking for? Should I be looking too? I don’t think I want to be here but I’m unable to leave. These people, their eyes, their dark and distraught eyes. Can I help them find colour or will they be pitch black forever? (lights fade) (Lights open stage right, a family is setting a diner table, the boy is among them) Mother: Are you guys all washed up and is the table set? Sister: Yes mom (A few seconds’ pass and the boy is staring blankly. His sister nudges him) Boy: Huh? Oh, yes mom I’m ready. Mother: (calls to the other room) Honey! Dad! Time to eat. Grandpa: Smells great, nothing like my wife used to make. (he nudges father and laughs awkwardly but soon quiets himself as he sits with the others.) (They hold hands and together pray their normal prayer of...
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...my favorite also. It is the story of “Old Sly Eye”. As a younger boy, Grandpa Newman was outside in a large berry patch located in their backyard in Salt Lake City, UT. As he was picking raspberries, gooseberries, and blackberries he saw something slowly stirring towards him over on the row next to him. It was the biggest porcupine he had ever seen. He noticed his eyes blood red and the quills were like small arrows the Indians used. He sat there looking mean and mad. Grandpa didn’t want the porcupine to get old Jazz, his sidekick dog, and fill him full of quills, so he hurried up to the house to get his gun. Unfortunately, his shotgun was out of shells and had to rely on the 22, the only other gun he had. With no other choice, he loaded the 22 and headed back down to the berry patch to find the porcupine. Grandpa silently went up and down the rows, but could not see him. Finally, as he approached the blackberries, there was the porcupine as if he was waiting there for him to come back. Grandpa and the porcupine were only a few feet from one another. He knew his little 22 wasn’t as efficient as his shotgun. His plan was to shoot the porcupine in the eye in hopes to hit his brain. The trigger was pulled. Grandpa had shot the porcupine in the eye but amazingly didn’t hit his brain. He squealed and twisted and ran out of the patch. A stream of blood was left behind by the porcupine. Grandpa whistled at Jazz and they followed the trail of blood that led them to...
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...was always big on safety of others. He worked in construction on most theme parks in Florida. Grandpa Ray and his coworkers turned friends always got the job done. He always made sure his coworkers were safe and secure when on construction sites. On this particular day the sun was bright and everything was going right. During this time they were working on Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Grandpa Ray and John was working on putting bricks on a restaurant being built on the strip of the theme park. The tractor was being used by Julio, another constructor, to put bricks higher up that could not be reached by others. John stepped out in front of the tractor. Julio, who didn’t seem to be paying attention, reached the crane out to get a brick and almost snagged...
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...Coming Out about my Sexuality I have always felt differently about my sexuality growing up. We always hear “a man is supposed to be with a woman,” but I did not feel attracted to women, there was always this attraction to men. With me being from a small town, there was always this fear of hurting my family, so I kept it bottled up inside of me until the age of 16. Then I finally decided to tell the man that I Idolized most! When telling this to my grandpa he said “you can’t help who you have feelings for, as long as you are happy, you will be loved no less.” He then encouraged me to tell the rest of my family, and I did and of course, with mixed reactions. Starting to realize the difference of my attraction to men at the age of 9 or 10 made me realize that there was a problem; we were raised in a Pentecostal church. I knew that it was wrong for a man to be with a man. When my friends would stay all night I would have mixed emotions about what I was supposed to do and what I wanted to do. I always, of course would be in the closet with one of the girls or something like that, but did not want to be. So for many years I kept up this “fantasy,” I lived in a small town, which was a very racial town. My family “name” was very important to our family. My grandparents (father’s side) were pillars of the community and owned several businesses and my Aunt and Uncle were both school teachers in the community. It was very difficult for me to show my true self and it ate at me for years...
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