On November 20, 2003, my family endured one of the toughest things it had to go through when my grandmother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away four days before Thanksgiving.
The hardest part about it for me was that I was in the Air Force, stationed at Lajes Field at the time and had no way of knowing about it for hours because I was shooting a concert for a newscast that would air the next day. I got home at around 11 PM (4 PM Pacific Time), and answered my phone to the horrible news. My day had been going so well, and all of a sudden everything collapsed.
I notified my boss, who then sent an email to everyone in the station and granted me emergency leave to go visit the family. I remember flying home from Lajes to Baltimore, a good five hours, then from Baltimore to Las Vegas, then the final leg from Vegas to Portland. I think it was the first time I ever visited home, that no one was in a joyful mood, because of the gravity of what had happened. It was tough to bear. My aunt and uncles from my mom’s side came from across the US to attend the funeral, and even though it was good to see them you could tell the death weighed heavily on them too.
It was abnormally cold the morning of the funeral, and I remember looking outside and seeing snowflakes falling hard and fast.
Snowflakes. In November. That never really happened where we lived in Oregon.
But it did on the day of my grandmother’s funeral. She would have wanted it that way.
Looking back and writing this today, time has healed all of us a bit as it can and does, but it’s a tough memory to remember nonetheless. But, going into this holiday season, I’m sure Oma (as all her grandchildren called her) is enjoying the best feast possible up in heaven.
And I’m sure she has a giant Scrabble board up there and has beaten about ten of the twelve disciples by now.
oh wow, ((((((hugs))))))) I remember finding out about it and how sad it was then.
Thanks babe, this was a wonderful tribute to mom, (Oma)! It’s funny, before I read this I was in the kitchen thinking about how I still miss her and it still hurts when I think of her a lot, but the Lord has helped me so much. You always will miss the ones you love when they pass, but thanks be to God, we will see mom again in Heaven.