***Authors Note: I have had people ask if this is a true story.  It is my personal story and yes, it is a true story***
I could barely hear her words as her quivering hands lifted up towards my young face and pulled me close to her mouth. She hadn’t spoken for a long time and it was apparent that she wasn’t going to live much longer.
I was just a young man. A boy really. 13 years old.
This woman had been a pillar in my turbulent childhood life up until this point and it hurt me to see her this way. Tears streamed down my face as she whispered some of the last words she ever spoke before she died.
“You’re my oldest grandchild.” she struggled to say the words, but I understood her as I tried not to sob uncontrollably. “Remember to set a good example for all the younger grandchildren. Live a good life so I can see you in Heaven. I love you.”
These words were the last words I heard my grandmother speak. Hours later her tormented body lay lifeless.
She was a victim of Diabetes. The disease had tormented her for a number of years, severely debilitating her to the point that her kidneys shut down. Although she was only 65 years old, she had the appearance of a 95 year old at the end of her life and death was a boon for her. She lived life the best she could, given the circumstances. However, I feel that she could have had a better life if she had received better treatment or if there had been better research on how to cure Diabetes.
While this is a very personal and moving story for me, I still have family members and friends who suffer from and struggle with Diabetes.
It is for this reason that I ask you for some help. I am going to ride in the Tour de Cure, which is a bike tour in support of researching a cure for Diabetes. I’m not asking for much. Just a $10 donation will be sufficient and the proceeds will go towards Diabetes research.
Please visit this site: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=7458671&pg=personal&fr_id=8084 and click on the link on the lower right that says “sponsor me”. Donate as much as you are comfortable with.
Thank you for your support.
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