In Memoriam

My grandfather passed away today. He was 96 years old. He had a heart attack, but the doctors said that heart attacks at that age are painless. Dada didn't even know what was happening to him. In fact, as the paramedics took him to the hospital, he kept insisting that he was fine. I wonder if he even believed them when they told him he had suffered a massive heart attack.

When he got to the emergency room, the doctors found a clot in a major artery. After consulting with my parents, they attempted to remove the clot, but before they could even insert the stent into the artery, Dada suffered another attack. He left us moments later.

We are happy for my grandfather today. He lived a long and beautiful life, and even until the very end, he was always as self-reliant as his health and body would permit, often showing more concern for others than for himself. He left this world not knowing what was happening to him, not feeling any pain or suffering. I cannot imagine a death more fitting and well-deserved for a man who lived as peacefully and with as much compassion and spirit as Dada.

We miss you, Dada. And today, we are celebrating your life and memory.