Pop Pop was my grandfather, and he was one of the biggest influences in my life.
He was always there for me. He spent a lot of time with me. He always advised me and helped as much as he could. And he always believed in me.
I have so many stories about him that I’m not sure where to start:
- Always shook my hand and squeezed HARD! He could aways out-squeeze me until I got to college…
- He was quite a lucky man. He always seemed to be the guy to win the raffle or catch the foul ball. One time he took me on a road trip to Corpus Cristi for a deep sea fishing trip. I was motion sick for most of the trip, and he caught the biggest fish and won something like $1000 along with it. I still have the foul ball he caught at a Phillies game signed by Chico Ruiz.
- Laughing was his super power. He was always laughing and telling great jokes. He could literally entertain a party for the better part of 45 minutes with one joke after another. He did this with my new in-laws when Lily and I first got married. He was on fire, entertaining everyone with the best jokes.
- I was struggling with baseball and he was the first person to realize that my eyes were bad. We went to the optometrist and sure enough – I needed glasses.
- When I was 8 or 9 playing basketball, he signed me up for a basketball camp. Then he showed me how to get inside and throw elbows at the opposing players!
- He was always changing things up in his life. He would get a new car every few years. He would grow his hair out, grow his beard out, etc.
- He went skydiving when he turned 80 years old!
- Dogs always had an extraordinary amount of affection for him.
- We had a great COVID road trip back to ABQ from FL.
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