A lot of my family members live in Mexico. I can’t go see them and they can’t come to see me. Therefore I have never met them in person.

My mom always tells me that they would take care of me when I was little, but sadly I don’t remember them. I have talked to a few on the phone but no more than that.

Even though I’m not there when they pass away it still hurts me. For instance, my great grandfather fell ill about two years ago and my grandfather was getting ready to go to Mexico to pay him a visit. Before he left we went to Santa Ana to go visit my aunts, there he got a phone call.

Because of that phone call, I was able to see my grandfather’s most vulnerable side. For the first time in my life I saw him cry, not just sad tears but desperate, frustrated tears.

Even though I didn’t know my great grandfather, just looking at my grandfather cry made me feel like I knew my great grandfather for many years. I felt like crying because of that one phone call.

In the end, the phone call was just to tell us that my great grandfather had passed away. My grandfather still went to Mexico to say his final goodbye to his father.

I have never had any of my closest family members pass away, therefore I believe that my great grandfather’s death was the only experience I have ever had.

It pains me to not have known him at a more personal level. I’m sure he was a great man.