April 5th of this year was a day in which my entire life changed. I can recall exactly where I was when I heard the news. Throughout high school I had to do something call Christian Service, which is community service with a different name. I was doing Christian Service at my old elementary school when I get a call from my sister. She was crying and couldn’t say much; all she told me was to go to my aunt’s, which was by my old school and where she was. I left the school and as I got to the building I saw her crying harshly and being comforted by one of my old friends. It was then that she told me my grandfather had just had a massive stroke and had died. I stood there in shock, the rest of the day I was just in shock. It wasn’t until later on that night that it hit me and I couldn’t help it. From that day on I had to become a man and learn to care for myself. Both of my parents, including my aunt, left to Dominican Republic the day after. It was just me, my sister, and my cousin staying at my aunt’s house alone. For a week and a half it was just us living alone on what my parents left us. We had family members check in but it was mostly us alone the whole time. That whole experience taught me how to be a man and take care of myself as well as my sister. It was a huge learning experience that will scar me forever but I know I had to learn from it and it made me the man I am today. The worst part of it was hearing my mother’s cry; an adult never wants their child to see them in that state and I witnessed it. Those cries haunted me and gave me the ultimate reality check. I wasn’t a child anymore, I had to learn to tend for myself and not rely on others from there on.
