Yesterday was Thanksgiving. On that day every year, we are supposed to reflect upon the aspects of our lives for which we are most thankful. I spent the day in Westby, WI with my girlfriend and her family. For that, I am thankful. Later in the evening, I called my parents and also got to chat with my boy for a minute. For that, I'm also thankful.

At around 11:30 or midnight, I got a text that I needed to call home immediately. My heart started racing. From the moment my father answered the telephone, I could tell by his tone that he had nothing good to tell me. My grandmother, who has been battling lung cancer for several years, passed away yesterday. We all knew that she was living on borrowed time, but she was supposed to be feeling well. She was... I don't know... supposed to be with us forever.

First was shock. Then came sadness. Right now, I'm feeling a little numb, but I'm sure the tears are not done flowing yet. I'm traveling to Florida in a few days for her visitation and funeral. I miss her so much already. I can't believe she's gone.

There is one thing that I can say for certain: nobody who knew her will forget her. She was stubborn. She was stoic. She drove us all nuts, but we wouldn't have had her any other way. When I visited her in Florida last year, I begged to be able to take her portrait. She was not keen on the idea one bit, but I wouldn't take "no" for an answer and I'll forever be glad that I was able to capture her essence while she was still strong and beautiful.

I'm glad to have these images. I'm thankful that I have this chance to share her with the world...