Over a year ago I got a heartbreaking call in the middle of the afternoon. One of my biggest fears, is getting a call that something has happened to a family member. Last year, when I was working for a government relations firm in a room where there were no windows, I saw my dad called me. I didn’t think much of it because he often calls me in the afternoon when he;s driving home from work.

Then he called from his house phone. Hmmm, that can’t be good. I felt a knot form in my stomach. I called and my step mother asked if it was okay to talk. I said sure, i was in the hall way, and she told me the news…

“Papa’s had a stroke.”

I broke down. My grandfather is an icon to me, he inspired my love of history, he is the reason I have family pride - he was a Chief Master Sargeant in the US Airforce and later in the VT Air National Guard. He fought in Korea, he taught me about the Cold War, he taught me about WWII history…so the thought of losing him scared the crap out of me. I ended up going home and spending much of the evening in tears - they were in Washington state camping - they often spend the early spring months out in california since my grandfather grew up in Fresno and has family there.

The worst part of it all, was the day my grandfather got out of the hospital, I was talking to my grandmother - poor woman had no idea how to work his cell phone, was hearing her say “We just celebrated our fiftieth…I’m not ready to be alone yet.” My grandmother? Was stronger than any of us back here on the East Coast.

So this morning, I woke up to the news - I was reading and dozing in and out of a morning nap with the pup at my feet, and I hear “Senator Kennedy has been hospitalized with Stroke Like Symptoms” and I perk up. I interned in Senator Kennedy’s office during my senior year of college, I adored Jackie O. and I find the family history nothing short of fascinating ( you’ll find various books on my shelves about their family and various others on my amazon wishlist).

I’m not going to lie and say I’m a little emotional. I’ve found it hard to attach myself to celebrities and politicians but the ones I’ve worked for? The ones I support no matter what? I didn’t understand people who got so bent out of shape about Kurt Cobain, or about John Lennon or Reagan dying but if anything happened to Kennedy or Leahy or Bernie? Those are my politicians. The ones I’ve supported, the ones I’ve associated with. So this morning? I’m praying for the best, praying that they caught it early because with strokes? The key is catching it early which is why my Papa bounced back and is living just as he did before.

Call me cheesy, or emotional but this is history man…the day Kennedy dies? An era is over.

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