Uncle Steve was a very good-hearted man and I always called him my "dad" because he would call me his baby whenever he took me anywhere. He tried so hard to make it to my wedding last year (though he was in ICU the week before) because he wanted to be able to see his "first daughter" walk down the isle since he knew he would never get to see his real daughter get married. Though he was too sick to make it to my wedding, he was there in spirit and I'll never forget how hard he fought to come. It's crazy that he passed away on our first anniversary and Husband is convinced that he stood at the gates asking why he had to go on that specific day.
Though it made our anniversary a little bittersweet, I think I will always have the reminder of how much he fought to be there to share my special day with me. Each year, I'll be able to celebrate his life and remember what a special person he was to my family and to me.
I pray for his children (his daughter is in college and his son still in high school) that they come through this loss okay and heal soon. It has been hard for both of them to see their dad sick for most of their lives. I'm so sad that he is gone but at the same time, I'm glad he is no longer suffering. I'll miss him always.
Below are two pictures from September. He is very frail but seems happy!