A kid can only dream of never losing someone close to them. You never expect it to happen and when it does, it changes your life forever. Until the eighth grade, I bragged to my friends about having all four grandparents still around and extremely present in my life. The spring of 2013, however, my life would soon drastically change in a way I never anticipated.

Cancer is something familiar to most families. For myself, this was something I dealt with at a young age, as I lost an uncle to skin cancer. My grandma was diagnosed in September of 2012 with pancreatic cancer. She was my best friend and someone I looked up to.

She had the kindest and purest heart of anyone I have ever met.

I couldn’t imagine losing someone like her. But on April 19^th, 2013 my best friend lost her battle. I was convinced my life couldn’t get much worse than this. Then June of that same year, my grandfather was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

He had a smile that no one could forget.

The man who could light up a room the moment he walked in, my number-one fan, soon became weak and forced to lay in bed all day. On July 18^th, 2013, my loving and dear grandfather lost his battle.

I would have never thought in a million years that two people who meant the world to me would leave my life forever in a matter of 4 months.

I wish they could see me now. I wish they could have been there to watch me get my license, go to my high school prom, graduate from high school, and see me on my first day in college. But I know as my guardian angels, they are watching me achieve many goals and grow to become an adult.

They guide me towards the right path. Every day I remind myself of how much they taught me growing up. I strive to become like them in any way I can. I too want to be known for being loving and caring towards everyone I meet, having a laugh that is instantly contagious, and giving hugs that make you feel whole again.

I wish every day that there could be a stairway up to Heaven so that I could hug or talk to them one last time. My guardian angels are always looking over me, reminding me I’m never alone. To say I miss them is an understatement, but every second spent with them before heading back to the "big man upstairs," are ones that are unforgettable.