My Grandpa

I don't have many memories of him, but I'm told that I made his face light up every time he saw me. I was his only grandchild, and he adored me! 

I don't have many memories because he was taken from me WAY TOO EARLY!! When I was only 4 years old, he was killed by a drunk driver. He was a tow-truck driver, and he was out on a call on the side of the road with the driver of a broke-down car. Along came a drunk driver who swerved and hit both my grandfather and the other driver. My grandpa was killed on the scene, the other man was permanently paralyzed. The drunk driver left the scene. Later, he was arrested, convicted, and sent to prison for 13 months.

 THIRTEEN MONTHS!!!!!!

 13 months is all my granddad's life was worth to that judge... 

13 months is all the other driver's legs were worth to that judge.

 13 months!

My mom was lost without her daddy. Her two brothers were lost without their dad! My grandmother was heart-broken. Our family was crushed! I had "withdrawals" ...since I was so young, I didn't understand what had happened. There was a man at our church who favored my grandpa, and whenever I'd see him, I would hug him and love on him. He was sweet- he understood... but I missed my grandpa!

FAST FORWARD 30 YEARS...

My mom got a phone call this last week from a cousin ... evidently some woman in Florida is trying to track down my mom to get information to be able to honor my grandpa on some Tow-Truck Driver memorial. We thought it sounded a little off... but today, my mom called the woman. 

In Chattanooga, TN, there is a "Wall of the Fallen" at the International Towing & Recovery Museum. 

HUH!!

 Who would've thunk there would be a MUSEUM for tow truck drivers!!???

Anyways, she explained to my mom how much he meant to her. She was only in her late 20's, and one of only a handful of female wrecker drivers. The guys were taking bets on how long she would last. My grandpa told her, "I won't bet against you! I know you can do it!"

She has held on to that for over 30 years... still in the towing business BECAUSE OF MY GRANDPA!

She also shared how they could never reach my grandpa between the hours of 4-6pm any day of the week. He told everyone he worked with how important family was to him...how they need to keep family a priority. She couldn't reach him every day between 4-6 because he was having dinner with his family! WE were more important than anything in his life...and everyone he knew was aware of that fact!

I love that after more than 30 years, someone can come out of nowhere and share such awesome memories of someone so dear! I have never heard anyone say anything cross about him... he was an amazing man! I wish he hadn't been taken from me so I could have my own memories of him...

 I know my kids would've adored him...

I KNOW he would have LOVED them!

Thank you, random woman in Florida, for sharing such great memories. Thank you for honoring him by nominating him for a place on The Wall of the Fallen! (the nomination was accepted, by the way). Thank you for inviting us for the presentation in September to see his name get added to the wall! You brought a smile to my heart today!!