Thursday, December 5, 2024
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There is so much to say about Pop. There was no one more loving or selfless than him. He made us all feel safe and loved. He made everything fun and made everyone laugh. Just going to the supermarket with him made for a fun day, and all he had to do was be himself. He loved 60s music, loved to wear Adidas, rented the coolest cars, had the best laugh known to man, and was never afraid to show his love. He was masculine, but never in a toxic or insecure way. He was never afraid to show how much he cared for someone in a manner that men rarely possess. And that was really important to me growing up.
One of my favorite memories of him was when I was walking to a store with him and my brother from a parking lot. I must've been around 12 at the time, possibly younger. When we were walking to the sidewalk from the parking lot, a car got very close to us but stopped in time to avoid hitting us. Not too close to us that we were startled, but close enough that the car should have stopped sooner as we were clearly walking to the store. And Pop, not in anger, casually smacked his hand down palm first onto the hood of the huge car. It was like a warning. A showing of how protective he was of us. Not an emotional outburst or a temper tantrum, but a sign: "Don't think about doing that again near my grandkids." And even as a child, I wasn't startled or scared. I just couldn't help but be amazed at how brave and strong he was. How he took on a CAR with its engine on without a second thought because he was protective of us and loved us. He was and always will be the strongest person I've ever met. I have so many great memories of him that I will never forget, even the tiniest ones stand out. I loved him so much and I always will.
Love,
Autumn
