My Grandpa Schilling

Ryan, Grandpa, Jessica and Me

My grandpa was an amazing man. He cherished my grandmother (and you could tell). He loved his kids and grandkids unconditionally, regardless of what they got themselves into. He gave to those who needed it, he was there to support those who needed a shoulder to cry on. He was an elder in the church, a man of God. I have many wonderful memories of my grandfather. I remember when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, he had a heart attack. I remember spending countless hours in the hospital visiting him. We snuck into the ICU so that we could spend time with him. The nurses didn't seem to mind as he was always in good spirits when we left, and we were quiet and didn't disturb the other patients. Then when I was a sophomore in high school, my grandfather decided to have an experimental surgery. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and didn't want to get to the point where he couldn't recognize his family. So he choose to take a chance on a surgery that studies showed would give him another 5+ lucid years. He was the 5th person to ever have this surgery, and the 1st to have it on both sides of his brain at the same time. They basically took stem cells that they grew from another part of his body and injected them in 5 parts of his brain on each side to stimulate new growth and slow down the process of Alzheimer's. They hit a web of weak blood vessels that caused bleeding on the brain. He was in a coma for 35 days before he went to be with the Lord. I miss him. He was a very special person in my life, and I am so thankful that we grew up near enough for him to be a big part in my life. I am also thankful that I have a dad who is going to be an amazing grandfather to my son.