My grandpa was the tallest person alive. Or at least, that is what I thought when I was five years old. In reality, my grandpa was a 6-foot tall man with a round belly and zero hair on his head, besides his rugged, gray goatee. He had long arms that had a wingspan taller than himself and had long, slender fingers that made his iPhone 5 look smaller than it actually was. He had icy blue eyes with small brown specks located towards the middle of his iris. His warm smile could ease someone's day easily and he will cheer you up with some lame joke whenever you are down. His laugh was a small chuckle or a quick “Ha!”, and was always followed by a small cough. I remember one thing he did that I never understood why: he would never fully chew what he was eating. He would put food in his mouth, chew for what it seemed like two seconds, then do a quick nod to help gulp the food down. We still mock his odd eating habits.  

One cool summer morning at the lakehouse, I stumbled out to the front patio and was greeted with a question, “Want to go on a ride in the rowboat?”. My grandpa loved his rowboat. He won it in a raffle and it was his prized possession ever since. After going out on the rowboat with him, I understood why he loved it so much. It was so peaceful. The way the boat glides through the water is worth the arm cramps you get from rowing the oars. The splash the paddles make each time it hits the water, over and over again is so relaxing. The caw of seagulls and the quack of ducks is the only thing keeping you out of dozing off from the peaceful rocking the boat brings. I will never forget the feeling of warmth hitting my face as the sun peaks over the tall trees in the distance. This moment is one of my fondest memories of him. 

My grandpa was a religious man without being too religious. He never doubted God’s existence even when times were tough. When something happened, he knew it happened for a reason. My mother once told me that she asked him if God was real, and he responded with, “Of course He is, look around you.” By this, he meant that all the evidence to know that God is real is right in front of your eyes. The animals, flowers, forests, and sunsets. How could so many beautiful things exist without one incredible creator? So while I knew his journey was coming to an end, I also knew he was going to thrive in a place people only dreamed of being.  

My grandpa was the most exceptional man alive. I still think that to this very day. He was a worker, father, brother, grandfather, and friend while also being a golfer, runner, and an extraordinary card player. He will forever hold a special place in my heart and the memories of him will continue to replay in my mind for as long as I live. In the memories of him, he will still live on.