This is Alex my grandpa and I’ve known him and his wife Nancy my grandma my whole. Who would have known that I would marry their grandson when I grew up. Alex and Nancy have the biggest hearts and we’ve always just considered them family. Even before I married their grandson. Nancy became I’ll about 5 years ago and battled cancer continuously till doctors said there’s nothing more to do. My grandfather is the strongest man I know. But with her, I saw love and strength beyond what I truly knew. He alone cared for grandma, even after surviving a widow maker heart attack (his 3rd heart attack) while she was in a chemotherapy session. He refused to allow any of us kids to see the true torment in his life. The night my grandma died he came to live with us. He sometimes breaks down and cries because he really doesn’t know life with gram. On his birthday when asked what he want he simply replied “my girl back” this was the only way I felt I could give him her. Her eyes were the same eyes that when the priest prayed before her last breaths he and her didn’t break a stare. So…When you love someone, you give them the world. But when the world shatters you pick up the pieces and put them back together with the best you can. He asked to have her back on his birthday lord knows I would give my life to give this man one more just a few more minutes with her. So I gave him her eyes as real as I could. The likeness of their eyes says it all. I loved her like my own and I love him to no end.

Painted for Antonia  EARLTON, NY