Queen Media Collective

She’s really gone. My Granny… the woman I was named after… is gone…

Sunday seemed like a regular day. I woke up, went to church, cleaned my house and went to chill with my friends. I didn’t get to my friends house til 8PM and the plan was to chill for a couple hours then go home. As I was wrapped up in conversation, I noticed I had a missed call from my dad. As of that day I was staying with my parents for a few days, so I thought that he was calling to ask where I was and what time I was coming home. I called him back and he asked where I was. I could hear the discontent in his voice. I asked him what was up and he told me that Granny had passed away. My heart dropped to the floor.

Two weeks ago we celebrated Granny’s 97th b-day. We went to her house, brought desserts and decorations. We took pictures and reminisced on all the fun times we had over the years. She smiled at us, but she could no longer communicate and it broke my heart. Granny was always so full of life and laughs, but the last few years she had drastically slowed down.

Going to Granny’s was a breath of fresh air and something I always looked forward to. Growing up we would have frequent Sunday dinners. Granny could cook SO GOOD and I will never forget the many meals she cooked for me. The dressing… the catfish… the spaghetti… my mouth is starting to water as we speak. As if her main course wasn’t enough, Granny always baked a delicious dessert to top it off, whether it be her delicious pound cake or her blueberry cream pie. As much as we’ve tried to imitate her recipes, it will never be the same.

In addition to Granny’s delicious meals, I will never forget her unconditional love. She would call my sister and I every night at 8:30 PM. I always thought it was so sweet she’d call us just to check in and tell us goodnight. My Granny truly loved us unconditionally and expressed it in so many ways. When I graduated from high school she gifted me with a check for $1,000. At 18 years old I thought I was rich! I started crying and thanking her for the money and I couldn’t believe she had given me that. What a phenomenal grandmother.

I arrived at Granny’s house Sunday night and was unaware that she was still there, lifeless in her hospice bed. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open. I felt sick to my stomach. After my dad called, I told him I would meet him at Granny’s house. I took an hour to arrive, because I had to get myself together before I drove to Berkeley. I thought her body would be taken away by then… I was wrong. I stared at Granny and started to cry my eyes out… why do people have to die? I thought. Why did Granny have to die? Even though I knew she would eventually pass away I NEVER thought it would happen so soon. Even though Granny was 97 she could still feed herself, identify us up until two months ago and smile at us… how could she be gone? The coroner’s took hours to arrive and I eventually went and sat on the porch. Sitting in that house while she laid there lifeless was starting to feel unbearable. As sad as I was I was more concerned about my Dad. Less than three days prior he had lost his brother and now his mother… the woman who birthed him. My dad was trying so hard to be strong, but I could see the sadness in his eyes.

It has been a few days and my family is trying to hold it together so please keep us in your prayers as we heal from losing a true queen. RIH Granny, I love you so much and I thank you for the values and wisdom you instilled in me as well as all the laughs and constant motivation. We will meet again one day.