To anyone who has lost a grandparent that they weren’t very close to, this is the story for you. This isn’t your typical love story where stories are shared about a life as a child spending the days with a grandpa. Reminiscing with pictures and stories trying to remember all the good times they had together. This is a story about how he changed a life after his death.
Pepa was not always the best father, husband, or friend. He spent most of his days with a drink in hand drunk on the couch. He swore, fussed, smoked, and most importantly drank way more than he should have. The rough patches made it difficult for his wife and three daughters as well. He made mistakes and problems for himself, which then trickled down to his family. These were mistakes he realized but then decided to change.
Soon into his older years, he started to get sick. His kidneys started to fail and his body seemed unable to put up the fight to live. Life was too short to be making mistakes and his faith convinced him it was time to start putting others first. Pepa loved his family. He loved his daughters, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. All he could’ve asked for was more time with each of us, which I didn’t seem to have.
Pepa died on November 7th, 2014. I never got much time with him because we lived states away, but that wasn’t an excuse. He loved me and thought of me every day and I wish I would’ve given him that time he deserved. To this day, I think about him constantly and regret that I wasn’t there for his funeral. I was in my freshman year of college preoccupied with my social life to give him the time he deserved. Although I feel this guilt, I know he wouldn’t want me feeling this way. If he were here, he would be telling me to stop the tears and show him a smile.
Pepa and I weren’t very close. He didn’t know about my best friends, my break-ups, my favorite songs, etc. but he did know I was a determined girl just like him. He knew that my rough patch freshman year wouldn’t last forever and that one day I would turn it around just like him. He had faith in me.
Pepa lived a rough life, but in the end changed himself into one of the greatest people I will ever know. So although I may feel the guilt and the sadness of missing him and the time I wasted, I know he is with me now and knows all about my best friends, my boyfriend, and my favorite songs.
