Dear Grandpa,

We haven’t met before, but I know that you know who I am. And I know who you are too. You were known for your smile – we have that in common. I wonder how many things I got from you? I see my mom’s face in your pictures, and I see her yearn for you even when she doesn’t realize it.

I just want to say thank you. Every day you woke up fighting a battle. I commend you for that bright smile you had through some pretty dark days. You died at a young age, but I choose to think it wasn’t all in vain. Because of your battle, you made my brother and I see a fight we didn’t want to fight. We choose to see the evils of alcohol, because we lost you. You unintentionally saved our lives; you paved the road to a better lifestyle.

I want to thank you for my mom too. She was young when she lost you, but I know you’re proud of her today. She fought the battles you did, and because of you, she won. She instilled in my brother and I the values you would have wanted her to, and she always expressed just how evil alcohol could be.

I’ve seen alcohol destroy lives, families, hope, and hearts. I just wish this illness called addiction could be cured. I don’t think you chose your fate, it was chosen for you and it was unfair. I get angry sometimes, Grandpa. I get angry that alcohol took you, and took others from me that I wasn’t ready to lose. But one thing my mother taught me is that you have to see the positive in the bad situations.

Thank you for caring about me before I was ever a thought in your mind. Thank you for fighting so hard, showing my brother and I that we must continue to battle addiction. There is an array of beauty tangled in the fight for your life. You dedicated yourself to the battle, and I will always dedicate myself to finding the solution. I will forever appreciate your life.

With love,

Your granddaughter