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My grandfather came home from work saying he needed to go to the hospital which was out of the normal for him so it caused a huge uproar in my family. This started a journey of emotional maturity for me because I was having to learn how to stay strong and support my family.

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The doctors and nurses began to run tests on my grandfather to determine what was going on. This caused my family a lot of confusion and we began to feel extremely scared. During this I began learning how important it is to stay calm in moments of crisis.

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I started calling the hospital every day to speak with my grandfather but my family was unable to give me a clear answer to what was going on. This began to make me feel anxious and get more worried. I had to continue to learn how to stay calm in hard situations while still being there for others.

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I got a call early that morning that I needed to come to Virginia, I got in the car and made the 3 hour drive. This drive felt like it was days long and I grew more anxious the closer I got.

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When I arrived in Virginia, I got the news that my grandfather had been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. Seeing the decline in his health was devastating and terrifying. This drastically shaped me as a person because I had to learn how to face grief head on which forced me to confront overwhelming situations. At this time, I learned that it is okay to show vulnerability and I learned a new sense of self awareness that has shaped how I handle upsetting situations.

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September 6, 2022 - The Last Day Together

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September 6, 2022 - The Last Day Together

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This day I spent the most time I could with my grandfather while his health continued to decline. This day he asked to speak with each family member individually, he tells us he didn't want treatment. This day marked a huge turning point in my emotional growth, seeing my grandpa make such a big decision in such a bad situation showed me how important it is to have dignity in life's hardest moments. This also helped shape my identity by showing me how important empathy in for others in hard times.

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September 7 - September 9, 2022 - The Decision and Decline

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September 7 - September 9, 2022 - The Decision and Decline

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My grandfather's health continues to decline and we learn he is unable to undergo treatment even though he decided he wanted to. This was a hard hit of reality when my family realized our time is running out, so we began spending our last bit of time with him. This helped my identity grow because I learned how important family is and started spending more time with my loved ones.

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September 10 - September 11, 2022 - The Last Moments

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September 10 - September 11, 2022 - The Last Moments

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I continued spending time with grandfather, talking about old memories, listening to music, and holding his hand. His health was rapidly declining and I knew I didn't have much time left. This helped shape me because I began seeing the importance of memories and how much they shape me as a person. My sense of empathy and grief, especially my little brother's grief made me see how important embracing my feelings is.

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September 12, 2022 (7:00 am) - The Passing

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September 12, 2022 (7:00 am) - The Passing

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After leaving the night before, I get a call that my grandfather had passed away. In this moment, I experienced a physical and emotional shock that left me feeling broken hearted. This shaped my identity because this is when I really began feeling grief which helped me learn that it is okay to feel pain and how important family is in your life.

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September 12, 2022 (After Passing) - Navigating Grief

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September 12, 2022 (After Passing) - Navigating Grief

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After receiving the call that my grandfather passed away, I drove back to Virginia to be with my family. The hardest part of grieving with my family was watching my little brother snuggle with this loss but in the end it brought me closer to him. Navigating this grief with my family helped shape my identity by teaching me how to be strong while still showing empathy for others and growing my sense of emotional strength.