The person who made my life today.

The person who has made a lasting impression on me

My grandfather has made a lasting impression on my life and has truly made an impact on my life and has made me the person I am today. Even though he has passed away, he will always remain my best friend, mentor, and my favorite grandpa. He has taught me more than any amount of schooling ever could.
1993 was the year I was born. I was growing up with a huge lovely family in Takeo province, Cambodia. Perhaps I was so little that’s why I don’t remember much about my family issue. All I knew was my parents got divorce, my mother has decided to come to America and the rest of my life was spending time with my grandpa. My grandpa took care of me. With him I share the happiest moments of my life. I lived in a beautiful world My grandpa always stood by my side, and whenever I fell down, he encouraged me to stand up by myself and on my own feet. As the matter of fact, my family is not a wealthy family. No one in my family went to college accept my grandpa. My grandpa took cared the whole family by himself. He was not just a grandpa, a father but he is also a teacher. In Cambodia the rate salary of teacher was only $100 per month because Cambodia is the poorest country and full of corruption. The government didn’t care much about education system that why my grandpa tried to save single penny he earned from work to buy anything that I needed and He always encouraged me go to school because he knew that the value of education will determine the future of the person even though we lived in the poorest country. As a result, I admire him as a great person and have thought that my grandpa is really a superman. My grandpa had a huge impact on the way I become a person today. He has influenced my life by teaching me the lessons and showing me the right behaviors and wrong behaviors.
My grandpa he was a kind person. He taught me to consider everyone as a part of my family and taught me how to love to people by sharing and giving. Every day, after school my grandpa always bought me some foods. because he knew that I will hungry after school over. One day, on the way back home, we saw a homeless man said that he had not eaten anything for a week and asked me for the food that my grandpa just bought for me. I immediately refused to give him the good that I had and kept going with my grandpa. Unexpectedly, my grandpa held my hand and stopped walking. He asked me why I don’t give the foods to the homeless man. “No grandpa, I’m so hungry. This food is belonging to me and I will never share to other”. That’s probably because I was so little and selfish didn’t know much how to share with other by what my grandpa taught. He looked straight to my eyes and said if I gave my food to homeless man, I still had the food at home. The homeless man had not eaten for week and he was so hungry. After hearing the explanation from my grandpa, he gave me the chance to decide if I would give my food to the homeless man or not. Finally I gave the food to the homeless man reluctantly. The homeless man expressed thankful to me. However, when I saw him receiving the food, I didn’t know why that I had a feeling that I pleasure of doing this and realized that I had done something good for society. When we got home my grandpa has told me that he was very happy when I gave the foods to that homeless man. He said he was so proud of me.
February 12, 2003 was the most painful memory in my life this is when I received the most confusing and sadness news. My grandpa got a “Cancer” and he will walk out of my life pretty soon. I didn’t remember why all this happened. I think it was a late Friday night when my grandpa got off from worked. By that time, it was so dark and that no one was on the road accept my grandpa. A crazy drunk driver unknown has beaten my grandpa motorcycle so bad and that man he was ran a way. My grandma got a phone called from the police officer that said “My grandpa now is in an emergency room” please come to see him right now, the police man said. My grandma was nervous and she almost heart attack when she heard.
The very next week my grandpa got a brain cancer. This Felt as I got new slapped me in the face so hard. When I heard the amount of words come out from my grandma mouth saying that grandpa had a brain cancer, I felt like someone punched me in the face and threw me on the ground. I can’t even describe the pain I felt that day. If I had to put it in to words, the pain in my heart would have to feel like someone just grabbing your heart and ripping it out right in front of you. Now when I look back at all of the times we had I feel so very bad that we could of so many other good times than the ones that we had. The times that I had just felt like I didn’t care if I spent time with him or not. I feel horrible saying this now but, that is the truth and I hate the fact that my grandpa will walked out of my life in a very short time.
2003 was the year of my grandpa death. After the death of my grandpa my life was full of struggle. I feel like a human without a soul. I can’t accept the fact that my grandpa has gone and I can’t live my whole life without his guardian. I am lost without him. I can’t imagine what is going on with my life without my grandpa. That is the hardest thing I had ever forgotten in my mind.
August 2011. My America life began. Before my grandpa pass a way he got a chance to called to my mother and let her know that he will not be able to lived longer and this little girl which is me, need someone to taking care of. I had no idea that was my grandpa plan. Frist time I saw my mom I feel like this country is not belong to me. That’s not my home, that’s not what I want. America mean’s the worlds to me. I missed home; I missed my grandpa and my friends. But as life goes on, I need to move on and being a new chapter. Coming to this country isn’t always easy. You need to try hard and keep going no matter what. I sometimes give up but after all just because my grandpa strength makes me stronger days by days.
In the end, I’m forever thankful for my grandpa. Without him I wouldn’t be here today. It was hard to have my grandpa been gone, but I just remind myself to think how much better of a place he is right now in the heaven and I know him always watching over me. “Grandpa” you will always be my hero, my guardian and my sunshine. I love you grandpa and I will always.