A Tragic Experience

My Grandmom



I remember the day very clearly. I remember the people, the smells, and the noises. I was eight years old. It was two weeks before Christmas. I had on my black Reeboks with the Velcro straps. I had on a green and yellow swishy swashy sweat suit with a yellow turtleneck. My hair was in braids with colorful beads that would make noise every time I turn my head. I had a look of confusion on my face because I didn’t understand what was going on. I saw all of my family crying and making loud noises. The radio was playing in the background of all the noise. On the radio was Lean on Me by Kirk Franklin. Soon the ambulance came rushing in the house to take her away. My grandmother, who I called mom mom, was a very important part of my life growing up. I’ll never forget the smell of her house when I first walked in. It smelled like she was always cooking a meal. In the living room I would always sit on the tan couch with the plastic covering that made me sweat when I had shorts on. She said that I would always take over the T.V. every time I came over. I remember she was the only person I knew with a big screen television. In back of the T.V. was a huge painting of the ocean, which she always loved to visit. I will never forget the day that my mom mom died. I didn’t cry at first because her death didn’t set into my reality. I knew that she was sick for a long time, but I didn’t realize that she was suddenly going to die. As I watched my mom and everyone else in the room watch my mom mom slip in and out of consciousness I began to pray. After I prayed I went back in the room and I saw my mom mom lying on the bed while everyone surrounded her. My aunt told me to go downstairs and said that only grownups needed to be in there. Soon the ambulance rushed in the house. About ten minutes later they carried my mom mom in a body bag and put her in the ambulance. I still felt confused. I asked my mom what was going on. With tears in her eyes, she told me that my grandmother went to live in heaven. I didn’t know what to think. I wanted to cry but at the same time, I didn’t want my mom to see me crying. I felt that I had to stay strong for my mom because while my grandmother was in the hospital, that is what she told me to do. Soon my whole family was at the house talking and reminiscing about my grandmother. About two weeks later, two days before Christmas, we all went to her funeral. I still didn’t cry about her death because it didn’t feel real. But when we walked around to view the body, all of these tears came rolling down my face. It finally felt real to me. I started to realize that she was gone and I would never see her face again. I loved her with all of my heart. I went over to my mom and gave her a big hug. I think about my mom mom all the time and I know she would be proud of me. This was a time that I will never forget.


Kiarrah Newsome