He would have been 86 this month. It's hard to believe he's been gone for 3 1/2 years. He wasn't just my stepdad, he was my friend. You become friends when you spend every Wednesday together eating lunch, running errands, buying groceries and looking at tools at Harbor Freight! You become really close when you share life's struggles.
The diagnosis, colon surgery, liver surgery, lung surgery, chemo, final stages of life. It was a tough but meaningful time in our lives. We shared laughs, tears, hugs and heartaches. We celebrated victories and endured defeats. We made the most of our time together.
I watched him slip away. It was an intimate, sacred time. I will treasure it always. But I will never forget his love for life and the part of it he shared with me.
Wow. I can't believe it's been 3-1/2 years, either. I think about Grandpa Rod a lot, especially when I see trains. He was a special man.
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