My Hero: Great Grandpa Thompson

One of my many heroes is my great grandpa David Thompson. Grandpa passed away this passed Thanksgiving at the age of 92. While his death was hard to accept, I know that he is in a much better place now. He's happy. He has full mobility again. He's with his wonderful wife. He has a perfect garden with berry bushes and flowers.

My grandpa led a full life.

One of the things that I remember most and admire most about my grandpa is that he was a hard worker. And I mean it! He always had a large garden and would share everything with his neighbors and friends. I remember going with my grandpa one time to the middle of nowhere to a corn field, where we picked corn ALL day. I was only like 11 years old, but I still remember the experience. Afterwards my grandpa asked if I wanted to go to dinner, even though it was clearly lunch time. I remember that I fought him about what the name of this midday meal was called. As an 11 year old girl I didn't understand why anyone would call lunch "dinner".

Another time I remember going to Grandpa's with my cousin Tanner. At the time I think I was about 9 and he was 8. We were picking berries, which was kind of miserable because it was the middle of a hot summer day and we had to reach in the scratchy bushes to get the best berries (and grandpa wouldn't settle for anything less). Tanner must have stepped on a hornets nest or something because all of a sudden he was surrounding in raging hornets. We ran as fast as we could to the car, screaming the whole way. When we got back to Nanny's house (my grandma) the adults helped Tanner feel better and then we counted the number of stings we could see. Tanner had been stung at least 15 times. Neither of us ever went back to help pick berries. I'm secretly still afraid of those bushes to this day :)

About 10 years ago my great grandpa fell and broke his hip while delivering berries to a friend. Ever since then his health had been declining, but he just kept fighting it. We thought for sure we would lose him about 5 years ago, because of the insufficient care my great grandma was providing. They both refused to be put into nursing homes, so instead my mom and dad decided that we were going to take care of grandpa. We cleaned out our piano room and made it his new room. At first, I was not excited to have him living with us. Don't get me wrong I love him and I wanted to help him... but I have old person phobia. BAD! I'm not sure why, but old people REALLY scare me. 

Having grandpa living with us, especially during my high school years was a challenge. But, it was even more of a blessing. At first I avoided him. I didn’t want to talk to him or help him, because I was scared. However, as I watched my grandpa be helpless in his chair, with nothing to do because of his poor eye sight, my heart was softened. I started talking to my grandpa when I came home from swim practice. And then I would offer him mints. Slowly I grew to love the old man that lived in my house.

Grandpa didn’t stay with us for too long, because caring for him became to taxing on our family. He did however, have the chance to be with us for Christmas. One of my favorite moments was when he opened his stocking. Inside was a one pound bar of Hersey’s chocolate. His face lit up as he realized what it was. Sure enough, the whole thing was gone within a few hours. It was a different Christmas having him in our home with us, but it was a memorable one.

I love my grandpa so much. I could probably write 10 or more pages just about him; telling stories and life lessons he taught me. My great grandpa was an amazing man. He was full of love and life. I am so thankful that he was a part of my life. I wish I would’ve taken the time to get to know him even better, but I know that I will have that chance in the next life. My grandpa is a man unlike most, but loved by many. He is my hero.