The year 2020 began like any other. People all around the world are starting their New Year's resolutions off strong, trying to eliminate the brutal effects of holiday dinners, focussing on appearance, money, and returning to work or school. Nobody ever thought that a deadly virus would ruin everything...until it did. The first COVID-19 case was reported in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019. The first confirmed case in Arizona was on January 23. Over 400,000 people had died of complications due to COVID before July 14, 2020. That was the day my grandpa died. Our family lost the glue that was holding us together and we all suffered through our own emotional battles, but amidst my grieving, I was urged to take care of my grandma. My mother used my existence and her work schedule as an excuse to refrain from visiting my grandmother and I consistently felt the need to hide my pain for the sake of hers. I was juggling home-care with school work and for a while, I felt like giving up. I’ve never dealt with a more emotionally draining situation. It has been more than a year since his passing. The effects of his death will forever be a reminder that I can surpass any challenge or setback I may face. I have learned that life is precious and that the people who are good must be valued, because life is unexpected and unfair, and death is extremely unbiased. To this day, I struggle to accept the fact that I will never see his smiling face again, but I find it peaceful to know that because of his past, I am a better person today.

The year 2020 began like any other. People all around the world are starting their New Year's resolutions off strong, trying to eliminate the brutal effects of holiday dinners, focussing on appearance, money, and returning to work or school. Nobody ever thought that a deadly virus would ruin everything...until it did. The first COVID-19 case in Arizona was confirmed on January 23. Over 400,000 people had died of complications due to COVID before July 14, 2020. That was the day my grandpa died. For as long as I can remember I have idolized my grandfather and his bewildering personality. His ability to lighten any mood and his desire to protect his family easily made him my hero. Words can not express how big of an impact he has had in my life, and when I used to think about the fact that he would someday be gone, I never would have thought that it would be as soon or as challenging as it was. It has been more than a year since his passing. Although it has been strenuous, I have managed to stay positive and optimistic for the future. Understanding that life is inevitable has affected me gravely. I have tried my best to be there for my parents and in order to do so, I have had to somewhat suppress my feelings at times for the sake of their comfort. The most significant things I have learned from this tragedy are empathy and selflessness. Putting other peoples emotions first despite your own is an admirable feat, and I congratulate myself for learning to do so. Without the optimism that I inherited from the most amazing granpfather ever, I would not be where I am today.

The year 2020 began like any other. People all around the world are starting their New Year's resolutions off strong, trying to eliminate the brutal effects of holiday dinners, focussing on appearance, money, and returning to work or school. Nobody ever thought that a deadly virus would ruin everything...until it did. The first COVID-19 case was reported in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019. The first confirmed case in Arizona was on January 23. Over 400,000 people had died of complications due to COVID before July 14, 2020. That was the day my grandpa died. For as long as I can remember I have idolized my grandfather and his bewildering personality. His ability to lighten any mood and his desire to protect his family easily made him my hero. Words can not express how big of an impact he has had in my life, and when I used to think about the fact that he would someday be gone, I never would have thought that it would be as soon or as challenging as it was. It has been more than a year since his passing. My grandmother learned to deal with her grief on her own, and my heart is finally at peace, but the effects of his death will forever be a reminder that I can surpass any challenge or setback I may face. I have learned that life is precious and that the people who are good must be valued, because life is unexpected and unfair, and death is extremely unbiased. To this day, I struggle to accept the fact that I will never see his smiling face again, but I find it peaceful to know that because of his past, I am a better person today. I have always had dreams of becoming a doctor, but it was not until my grandfather's death that I began to take things seriously. After several months of depressive isolation, I rekindled my love for medicine and I discovered my passion for athletic training through the clubs I participated in at school. He always told me that I was bright and would have a good future, now is my time to prove him right. I have always believed in speaking things into existence. I know life can be unpredictable but, I am certain that I will go to university, where I will obtain a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. I will continue onto medical school and become a sports medicine physician, and soon, I will work in a hospital and help those in need.