An amazing and great great grandad.

Year's ago.

I do not know how long ago this photograph of him and I were taken, but I am now 17 and I would of been 4 or 5 in that photo, I'm guessing.

At 12:30am on Saturday the 12th of March this year, my great grandad passed away. But I didn't just lose a great grandad. I also lost my best friend, a father, a role model and the most important person in my life.

Born on the 22nd of October 1928, my grandad just missed out on being forced to war. I am so thankful for this.

He was a mail man from 15 years old until he landed a job in the hospital as a wardsman which consisted of getting people ready for surgery. He retired in 1993, 5 years before I was born in 1998.

Looking back on my primary school memories, all I can remember is all throughout the day I looked forward to him picking me up in his old maroon coloured van with his dog, Mayo. Every. Day.

We would then go to McDonald's together and sit outside and talk about how our day was, only to have my father or mother pick me up from his place early in the night.

When I'd sleep over, we would take Mayo for walks to get the paper. I'm really sad that the track where we use to walk is now gone, and turned into a service road. But there are some trees that still surround that road. Each time I drive pass them, I get reminded of him.

This photo was before he took me for a ride one day, he made a custom bike seat out of wood just for me. I'd hold on to the hand bars and pretend as if I am steering.

This is the first time I've ever lost a family member, and it is so hard. I'm only just now coming through the other end of it.

At the funeral, which was on the Sunday after he passed, on the 20th, I lost it when they displayed this exact photo of him and I on the TV's.

I am going to miss you so much, Gra, Grandad.

Lots of love
-Reece.