I had a longer post originally but my phone ate it (it doesn't like the YLF app any longer, unfortunately.)

After coming back to town from our Disney vacation and celebrating our engagement, my grandpa started seriously declining after being in hospice for the past few months. I've tried to spend as much time as I couid given that work is in our busiest season and Lucy is pretty high maintenance.

Yesterday I left work quickly after hearing that there had been a change, and relieved my relatives who had been with him for the past day without much sleep. I talked about his life and held his hand as he slowly stopped breathing and let go. It was that calm.

I've visited people who were dying before and sat vigil with my family 6 years ago before my grandma's final days, but this was the first time being there at the end. I'm grateful that he was so relaxed in the last day and a half, because he had been in significant pain beforehand. It was beautiful to be there and see the impact he made on people, from close family visiting, to friends and my dad holding small jazz concerts in his apartment over the past few weeks (he kept asking for more music), to everyone from the owner, favorite nurses, and dining room waiters from his residence (which he's only lived at for 3 months) tearfully coming in to say goodbye to him. Being there as he passed away; talking, crying, and even laughing with my relatives afterwards while arrangements were made; walking with his body out of the building, was an honor. In recent wweks he feared loneliness so I'm glad my family and I were able to give the gift of being there through the end.

Adding photos of sweet Lucy for an uplifting end to the post.