Grandpa Meyer

October 9th, 1994. It was 20 years ago today my Grandpa Meyer passed away. I was extremely close to him and miss him terribly to this day. Other than my own dad, he was the male I was closest to in my life. He and I were a lot alike too. Our personalities, our demeanor, our mannerisms, the way we view life... all very similar.

I remember when my son, Michael, was born on October 20, 1993. I sobbed when he arrived. Not only because I was happy to be a father, but also because it was so important to my grandpa that I have a boy to carry on the family name. At that point in time grandpa was in poor health and I was so happy to know grandpa could die one day knowing the Meyer name would carry on. As it turns out, Michael was the only boy Meyer born to that generation. My brother and lone male cousin had all girls. Now it's up to Michael to carry on the Meyer name (NO PRESSURE, son!).

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that grandpa adored his great-grandson. He called him "Little Michael".  As I mentioned before, grandpa's health was failing fast and it seemed Little Michael was the only medicine that made him feel any better. Grandpa's face always lit up when I brought Michael for a visit. This is something I truly understand now that I am a grandpa myself. All through Michael's first months of life, grandpa continued his slide into worse and worse health. As Michael's first birthday approached, grandpa told my grandma he didn't care how sick he was, he wouldn't miss Michael's first birthday party. Well, grandpa didn't make it. He missed Michael's first birthday by 11 days. He died on the 9th and Michael turned one on the 20th.

I miss my grandpa today. I see a lot of him in myself and also in Michael. I am thankful for the time I could spend with my grandpa and I am especially thankful he got to know Michael ... even it was only for 354 days.

Here's grandpa in high school: