My papa was a truly special man. He was so genuinely kindhearted, loving, caring, and selfless, always making sure everybody else was taken care of before he took care of himself. This past Saturday we lost my papa at the age of 93 and while I am deeply saddened by this loss I am also deeply grateful.

Grateful for the time we got to have together and the relationship we formed that significantly impacted my life. I have such fond memories of my papa and the moments when we were together. It's so hard to choose a favorite one, so I wanted to share a couple with you.

I remember sitting at the dinner table at his house a couple years ago when my papa noticed I had earrings in my ear. My ears had been pierced for several years, but this was the first time I had worn earrings in a while. He asked me if I enjoyed wearing earrings and I told him I did and without hesitation he went upstairs. After a few minutes he returned with a grey jewelry box that contained a set of gold hoops that belonged to my late Yia-Yia. He explained how they were hers, but he wanted to give them to me so I would have earrings to wear.

He may not have realized it, but that moment was one I will treasure forever.

Another one of my favorite memories with my papa was not just a single event, but a series of interactions. I had lost my hair after undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and I was pretty unhappy with the way that it was growing back. My papa could recognize that and one day he just looked at me and said, "Abby, oh I like your hair." From that moment on every time we saw each other he made sure to let me know how much he liked my hair, and it eventually turned into our saying for each other. If he was the first to say it he would always follow up with a smile and jokingly say, "Don't you like my hair?" or "Aren't you going to say anything about mine?"

This interaction never failed to bring a smile to my face each and every time it occurred.

Lastly, my papa was a Greek man and was always teaching me and my cousins words or phrases in the language. One in particular that he always repeated to us was s'agapo, which translates to mean "i love you". I remember him teaching us that countless times and his love was truly reflected in the innumerable ways that he cared for and encouraged us throughout our lives.

I was able to get a tattoo in his writing last year that will serve as a permanent reminder of the loving and special person that my papa was to me. I have already been asked numerous times what it means and I am excited to continue to be able to answer that question and share with others the special meaning behind it.

I don't think there are enough words to describe how much my papa meant to me. I will forever cherish the laughter, lessons and love that he provided and they will never fail to bring me joy.

S'agapo Papa, I miss you already <3

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