We already knew that Obama's Grandma, Madelyn 'Toot' Dunham, was gravely ill, but I expect all of us were hoping and praying that she was not so ill that she would miss the day when we elect her grandson to be President of the United States of America. My eyes well with tears at the thought of the pride she must feel for her grandson, who was shown himself to be a remarkable man, and who I know will be a remarkable President.
But sad news comes today from Obama himself.
"Without going through the details too much, she's gravely ill. We weren't sure and I'm still not sure whether she makes it to Election Day," Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview broadcast Friday.
We've all lost loved ones in our lives, and it's devastating. I lost my grandma to breast cancer when I was 11, and it was the first time in my life I'd experienced death. My grandma was the Platonic Ideal of Grandmothers, and I still love her dearly. She taught and gave me so much, and in the end, she taught an eleven year old boy about grace.
She was ill throughout the springtime, going through all kinds of treatments I didn't understand. And then, one day, my Mom told me we were going to visit her. This was a big deal, because we lived on the east coast, and grandma and grandpa were living with my aunt and uncle in the midwest.
The moment we arrived, the whole family gathered. My grandfather, his two daughters, their husbands, and all the grandkids. We were all there. we all went to the hospital and sat with with my grandma for about an hour. We held her hand, and kissed her, and we told her we loved her, and promised to return the next day for her birthday.
But it was only a matter of hours after the family gathered around her that she let go. I was watching TV with my cousins when my mom and my aunt came to tell us the news. It was clear that my grandma had been holding on until she could say goodbye to all her family.
I didn't intend for this to be a personal diary, but these are strong memories and despite the fact that it was 20 years ago, the ache is still very real. As I read Obama's words about Toot maybe not making it to election day, these memories came flooding back. And the fact the Madelyn Dunham's birthday is this Sunday brings a personal resonance to this story I didn't expect.
This summer, my wife and I read Dreams from my Father, and we both had the odd sensation of feeling like we knew Obama, like he was a friend of ours. I also have a vivid picture of Toot thanks to that book, and there's no doubt in the world that she is a wonderful and remarkable woman. The only proof you need of that is Barack Obama, but I promise you, there still more examples in the book.
My prayers go out to Barack and Toot. I know they're both so proud of each other. And while I do hope Toot makes it to see her grandson make history on November 4th, I first and foremost wish her peace.
UPDATE: Thank you to all the folks who have shared their own stories of loss. Not to be too touchy-feely, but one of the things I value about this site is the very real sense of community.