He was born into a poor family in a small town. He served five years in the United States Navy. He became a widower at a very young age. On top of all this, he suffered from several health problems. We always joked that my grandfather had nine lives. Every time he ended up in the hospital, doctors said they didn't know if he would survive. He almost always went home within two weeks, leaving doctors shocked. Despite his health problems, his sense of humor remained undisturbed during these difficult times. I remember sitting in hospital rooms, my grandfather hooked up to multiple IVs and wires, and he kept joking. As he grew older, he underwent several medical procedures. With each procedure he joked, “If any complications can occur with this procedure, I will be the one to do them,” as was often the case. I remember so many different times when we should have lost my grandfather, but somehow he always bounced back. This is one of the reasons why fond memories come to mind when I wear this necklace. I was fortunate to be able to spend as much time with my grandfather as I did. Especially knowing that there were several times when the odds were stacked against them surviving