06/19/2026
This is a picture of my grandparents. I have great memories of visiting Maine and eating whole lobsters at this restaurant with them. Looking back on this, though, what strikes me now is this amazing couple. My grandfather suffered a TBI in a car accident when I was born. I never got to know the “real” him, but I know he worked for the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia for many years (I got proof sets for every birthday growing up!). He could fix, make, or build anything. He served in WW II and was stationed in India, where he fixed aircraft. He came home on a break and married my Grandmom in Rantoul, Illinois. My Grandmom always said the title of their movie could be called “Romance in Rantoul”! Fast forward many years later and they had settled in Philadelphia area and raised four children. Sadly, the year I was born was when their lives changed forever. There are home movies of me and him learning to walk at the same time. This was all I knew growing up. Seeing my Grandmom devote her life to caring for him as he was never the same. She helped him learn to talk again and just stepped up and did whatever was needed to care for him. Thinking about it more now, I am in awe of their love story. I had a front row seat to what unconditional love looks like and the strength that my Grandmom had during all of those years. She drove us to Maine every year for many years and she just loved it there. I could write more chapters, but I will end by saying that I am blessed that I had a real life love story happen before my eyes. It would be a best seller at the box office.
