I was four, about to turn five very soon, and excited to go to school. Everyday I would play with my short, red-haired grandma and my funny, exciting grandpa. I remember Grandma would make my favorite food while Grandpa would play with me and keep me entertained. He took me to the supermarket right across the street from his apartment. He bought me all the snacks I could imagine. Every time we went to the market, he would wait for me outside and he would smoke. I remember that disgusting smell: it reminded me of the dead rat smell.

But I never cared if Grandpa smoked because I was happy to be with him and Grandma. One day, Grandpa didn’t show up at my grandma's house. I didn't know what was going on. Then a week later he came back, I was so excited to see him again. But I noticed something was different about him -- he didn't look the same. He had less hair and he looked paler than before.

I wanted to ask him what had happened because I wanted to make sure that he was okay. As I went up to him, he was sitting in his favorite big brown chair in the living room.

That's when I came up in front of him and asked, “What happened to your hair, Papa?”

He said, “I’m getting very sick”.

All that time he wasn't in my grandmas house, he was in the hospital trying to see what he had. But every time I saw him at grandma’s house, he had lost more and more hair. I would always sit down and think what was going on with my grandpa. And everytime I went to my grandma’s house my grandma would be In her room upset at the world; sometimes she would cry. I could not understand why.  Everytime I went, I thought that Grandpa was going bald.

Until one day, my dad got this scary call from his mother. You could tell that she was nervous by her weary voice and how creaky it was. She told my dad to come quickly.

My dad rushed me and my pregnant mother to my grandma’s house. My dad's hands were shaking, my heart was pounding, and my hands were also shaking. I didn't know what was going on and I felt so confused and helpless. When we finally arrived, the ambulance was outside, waiting.

My parents and went up stairs to the apartment and I  see my grandpa. When we went upstairs, My Grandpa was lying on his bed with tubes coming out of his nose.

I went to the bathroom. It was covered In blood everywhere. I started crying. I was so nervous and scared. I told my mom I wanted to go home. I remember my mother saying that was a great idea.

My dad said, “Go home and I will go with my father to the hospital so they can run tests on him”.

The doctors took a really long time to get the results. When they were done, my dad finally came home. He was really sad and upset. I felt so bad for my father. I sat down with him and gave him a hug. I asked him about Grandpa. He told me that his dad had been diagnosed with cancer. Even though I was sad, I knew this hurt my dad the most because this was his father; he loved him very much.

I remember going to the hospital visiting my grandpa, giving him flowers, and making sure he was okay. Then It was finally time for my grandpa to come home. I was jumping up and down, ready to go pick him up. When we finally made It to the hospital, Grandpa was waiting Inside the waiting room. He was In a wheelchair; I thought there was something wrong with his legs. They wheeled him to the car and my grandma was there, waiting and excited to see him again.

When he sat down in the car, everything just went wrong. The car shook a little, and my grandpa's eyes shut. Something like throw up came out of his mouth.

My dad rushed him back to the emergency room. Luckily, we were still right In front of the hospital. But they didnt do anything; they wouldn't take my grandpa in, my dad had to beg them to take them in my dad was yelling and screaming. Finally, when they took my grandpa my dad's hands were shaking,  My dad looked paler than usual.

When the doctor came back, he gave us bad news. He said that Grandpa was no longer with us.

When I heard, this my heart stopped and I burst into tears. My dad was  angry, sad, heart-broken: everything. I could tell from his eyes that he wasn't okay. I knew he didn't want to cry in front of everyone so he kept it in. He was filled with rage. This loss was a lot to handle.

I will never forget this moment, when my grandfather died In front of me. A month later, my little brother was born. It was very exciting, but he will never know how awesome, funny, and caring my dad’s father was.