Though my Grandpa is no longer here to tell his story, I have heard of the experience him, my Grandma, and my Dad went through while he was away to fight in Vietnam. My Dad was just around two years old when my Grandpa was drafted to war and for two years my Grandma raised my Dad all on her own, worried for her husband’s safety. My Grandpa joined the Air Force and became a sergeant, brave as I always knew him to be, and strong as my Dad always said he was. Not much detail was given to me, as I was young when the stories were told, and it’s been years since his passing, but even now I still view my Grandpa as a man who would do anything to protect his loved ones. One of my brightest memories as a child was swimming in the pool, and I would grab onto my Grandpas shoulders, hiding behind his back because I was scared of a bee. I remembered he always tried to capture special moments. Whether it was opening presents on Christmas Day, hunting for eggs on Easter, or my brother and I helping our Grandma cook. It became our tradition to visit my grandparents every Sunday ever since I was born. I do not know if it was purely out of simple bonding time or because my Grandpa was running out of time. A little after I was born, my Grandpa had to get a heart transplant, for reasons that ran in his family. This blessing granted us 10 more years with him. It granted my ability to witness my Grandpa grow. It gave him the joy to see his two grandchildren flourish. It saved my family a couple years of happiness, before the inevitable heartbreak. Overall, I got to spend 12 years of my life with him, while others whose family members are veterans might have not had such a grand pleasure. I continue to ask stories about my grandparents and father’s lives. I continue to listen in on whatever they are saying to grasp an image of what it was like. This has truly grown my depth of being able to understand and sympathize. This has broadened my abilities to be open and compassionate. My Grandpa instills bravery and courage into me. He faced something that I will never hear him speak of again, but I know he is by my side encouraging me to defeat my hardest battles and face my greatest fears. I’ve grown a lot since then and nothing much has changed. Now, my Grandpa lays rest up on the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific with all the other countless veterans who have served this country. Luckily and thankfully, our family did not face any hardships as many others who have lost someone special to war. I stand proud and grateful for and of my Grandpa. He is the one who inspired my love for music and he is the reason I will never take anything for granted.