My grandpa had a broken heart - split down the middle, in the shape of a zig-zag and hanging by a single thread of life. When my grandmother passed away - the one other soul in this world where his soul could find peace - even his brave heart could not fight the break. The love that they had for each other is sometimes inconceivable using just my mind. But when I close my eyes and open my heart, I can feel their love all around me.

My grandmother watched over him for a year as he tried to find enjoyment in the finer things. But the thread of life holding the two halves of his broken heart together was wearing thin. His soul called out to her and she appeared. At his side, holding his hand, quaking with joy, she exclaimed of all of the fun she was having in heaven. She missed him and he missed her. His decision was made in the final beat of his heart.

Saturday, he went into the hospital for emergency open-heart surgery. My mom and I booked the next flight to Florida to encourage him through the recovery. By Sunday evening, he was lively – joking with the nurses, telling us stories and laughing about what he originally labeled “heartburn”. He still needed a lot of rest, as it was a risky procedure, but the hopes were high and he was a fighter. Just 5 hours later, an urgent call from the hospital led us into the car, speeding down 25 miles of a dark empty highway and up the elevator to the intensive care unit. Time slowed down as they explained the details of the complications. Grandpa is gone.

He was a great man. He had love for everyone and never looked back. I want to live life the way he did - without regret. So instead of regretting the time I didn’t get to spend with him, I will celebrate the times we shared together. The love he had for my grandmother, the family they made and the life they lived…is the perfect model of love that I will seek in all aspects of my life.