Grandpa

This is my grandfather, Angus George Arthur Augustus Caesar Imperious Darcy Marlow MacDonald (some of his name may be self-adorned). He taught me how to play piano and sing; I was his only student. It was his 88th birthday on Thanksgiving.

A week or two ago, he was hospitalized after a bad fall. There, they found that his kidneys were slowly failing. The night before Thanksgiving, I got the call that he only had from 2-5 days to two weeks left to live.

I'm in Philadelphia for school, my family's in Minnesota. I haven't been home since August. I haven't seen him since August...I already had a flight reserved for December 14th, and I couldn't change it to go home earlier because the tickets were ridiculously expensive, since everyone's traveling over Thanksgiving. But I was reassured that I would be able to see him again.

On December 4th, I got the call that he was gone.

He was a very special man. He was always cheerful and happy, and it really seemed like there was not a care in the world that could blotch his humor. He had the happiest laugh I've ever seen. He was a talented pianist and singer. And he was my grandpa.

This drawing was very hard for me. Around halfway through, it suddenly looked exactly like him. It was as if my grandfather was coming back to life under my hand. It was very difficult for me to continue with this and finish it, but I'm glad I did because I want to have a way to remember him just as I saw him, before time makes me forget.

I used a 2H and mechanical pencil.