If this world allowed us just one chance to travel back in time, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to January 2nd, 1993. On this exact date, the most inspirational man of my life passed away. Known as “Big Daddy” within his family, Dr. George Ackaouy was a hero to thousands. Even though I never had the blessing to meet my grandfather, his impact on my life has been indescribable. A Pediatrician for the first Pediatric Clinic of McMinn County, he was one of the most well-known doctors of the area. Families would come from all over the state to have their kids in the care of Dr. Ackaouy. Even until this day, I have people telling me “Your grandfather would be so proud of you” or “I hope you end up just like your grandfather one day.” In these very moments, I feel this great sense of satisfaction run through my body. Not one person has fulfilled his footsteps in becoming a physician, and I would be honored to become the first.
My hero is no one other than Dr. George Ackaouy. From the stories I’ve heard, he was never in it for the money. To the families that had no insurance and couldn’t afford healthcare, he would set up private appointments at his house. Until this day, people say he worked miracles on children. No matter how much time or labor it cost him, he made sure his patient’s health improved; he would stay awake in worry and even crying at the fate of one of his sick patients. My grandfather truly loved his job, and he will always be the heroic figure in my life.
My grandfather died of bone marrow cancer at the age of sixty years old. It was a long, painful death; he was ill with this cancer for over 15 years. All the knowledge he possessed about medicine, all the experiences he had with patients, and all the lives he saved, could not save his own. There’s a quote that says “Only the good die young,” but I can’t completely justify that. Yes, my grandfather did die at a relatively young age, but the influences he made and the