A frail woman lay motionless on the hospital bed. The white sheets rose and fell as she took uneasy breaths, shivering and shaking. Her face flushed of all color, her once red-rosy cheeks now a pale white, the brilliant golden brown color of her eyes- now a cloudy grey. The words repeated themselves as I gradually crept my way into the silent, sterile room. “I promise…I promise…I promise,” echoing over and over again.

Hesitantly, I stepped closer to my still grandma and whispered, “thank you for being there when I needed you most; we’ll see each other again someday.” With a single tear streaking my face and a quiver in my voice, I repeated those words that had meant so much throughout the years. I watched the only woman to ever fulfill those promises begin to escape from the life she had once known as perfect.
She was a mere mortal among others, but her love for everyone and everything lifted her above all on a pair of golden wings. To the world she may have been a regular person but she meant, and still does mean, much more to me. She was a role model who taught me to be myself, to love who I am, and to love others as well. Mary Ellen was a wife, a mother, a friend, a grandmother, and my hero, who struggled for her life against lung cancer.
My grandma’s cancer wouldn’t go away; it followed her around, restricting her capabilities. She fought for one thing, and that was to live her life. I learned to stay strong and fight for what I believe in because of her. Everything was taken in stride by my grandma. Tasks were completed on time and in the best way possible. Promises were promises, and she fulfilled every promise. Secrets were kept secrets- no question about it. She made the lights in the eyes of her friends and family shine a little brighter and their smiles a little broader. She taught me to treat everyone with respect and kindness, and she encouraged me to look beyond a person’s reflection. Whether it was giving away loose change, sitting down to pray, including all of her family members in activities, or how amazingly strong she was the last year she had with us, her daily performance left an unforgettable imprint on my life.
On May 29, 2007, God’s hand knocked on her door as she succumbed to the disease that she had been so valiantly battling. That day she was presented her golden wings. As the wind whipped my hair back from my face, I scanned the cotton clouds on the horizon looking for reassurance. As I glanced down upon the granite stone, a single tear fell from my eye. “I’ll get through this, Grandma. I’ll overcome the obstacles challenging me and fulfill my dreams.” I repeated her words strongly and confidently, “I promise.”