Dear Papa,

From my earliest memories to my most recent, you and Meme have been constants. Every grandparents day, school concert, ball game, promotion, graduation, performance: you both have been there. Now don't get me wrong, I love that Meme is there, too...but there's something about you, Papa. Perhaps it's because I know that God placed you in my mom's life when she was so young so that bub and I would have you from day one. I think what I'm trying to say is that I know that you don't have to love me: you chose to love me.

Some of my earliest and fondest memories have you right there at the forefront. I'm certain you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, too! I'm talking about me begging you to buy me a pony at the fair of course. I also remember my dad telling you to absolutely not buy me the pony...but I know that I probably could've made you cave if he'd just given me a few more minutes! Something else that comes to mind when I think of you is coming out later at night to sit on your lap and have our visits when I stayed the night with you and Meme. Of course, I had to take up time from you both individually! I had to go and lay down with Meme so she could rub my back and play with my hair while we watched Larry King. But then I definitely needed to come out into the kitchen and tell you that I wanted to visit for a while. To be totally honest, I couldn't tell you a single thing that we ever visited about; but I absolutely remember sitting on your lap and watching baseball or the news every single time that I stayed the night with you two.

Like I said, you've been a constant for my entire 19 years. When I called mom after class on Thursday, September 22nd, I think I stopped breathing. I'd watched you do so many things throughout the years that I was convinced, even at 19, that you were invincible. Unfortunately, that's not the case. I can't imagine why God chose for this to have happened to you. Why did he choose to injure one of the most important men in my life? Why did He choose to have this happen to such a good man: a man who had come to dedicate his life to Him? But thanks to you; I know that He has a plan. However, that plan wasn't clear to me at all while mom, dad and I were driving to Springfield knowing that you were in a helicopter above our heads. It wasn't clear when I went back to see you in the emergency room. It wasn't clear when you were moved to the ICU.

By now, I've come to realize that no matter what happens; I'll always have you with me. I think I'm writing this article so you and everyone else knows just how important you are to me and how much I love you.