Fifty-two years ago my grandfather proposed to my grandmother and, on September 10, 1960, they said their vows, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, tell death do us part.

Today it's common to see people take advantage of those vows, but when my grandparents recited those words they meant it. They had 3 amazing children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. They worked hard, paid their taxes and lived what I consider a dream life.

From a very early age I remember my grandmother saying "one day I will no longer be here, like everyone else I will die", she was realistic she knew her fate as I do mine.

Earlier in the year the strength of their love was tested, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and only weeks later my grandmother's health began to fail. For months we watched my grandfather go through chemo therapy and radiation treatment while going to the hospital daily to be with my grandma. As his health declined her health declined, at one point neither one of them was eating and for a while we all thought we were going to lose both of them.

After months of watching and waiting for something, anything, to happened, my grandfather finally beat cancer, and shortly after my grandma's health got better. We began to be hopeful that this wasn't the end for them that maybe things were going back to normal.

My grandfather even started making plans to bring her home, investing in in-home care, wheel chairs, and the whole nine yards. One day he even got to bring her home. That was the first time in a long time I heard excitement & joy in his voice, he had his wife back. One week later she was gone, 11/29/2012. Till death do us part.