My grandfather died today, after a six month struggle following a stroke — a struggle which, more often than not, he seemed to be winning.

I could write a lot here (and in fact I started to) about what happened, and why, and what it meant not only for him but in the greater scheme of things. Maybe I’ll do that later.

Right now, I just want to say that he was my hero, and the man more than any other I try to emulate. He was an eternal optimist, a model of how to behave and how to treat other human beings even when you were in a position of relative strength, and how to gracefully appreciate your blessings, and share them with others.

He left the world in better shape than he found it, and spread joy along the way.