My world collapsed into ruin last October when my beautiful granddaughter, Lauren Lucia, died in my arms.

Lauren came into our lives on July 2, 1998. Her mom, my daughter, Tricia, was a single mom. Lauren was born just following the completion of my baccalaureate degree from Cal State at Hayward. I was doing an Obstetrics internship at Sutter Delta and had the opportunity... of being the Nursery Nurse at my daughter’s delivery, which means that I was the first person to hold my grandchild when she took her first gasping breaths.

Eleven years later I was the last person to hold her as she took her final gasping breath. Lauren was an active little girl and a member of a local intramural baseball team. Besides that she spent years studying at Black Diamond Gymnastics and Sports Center, and studied martial arts at the Twin Tiger Academy of Self Defense with her beloved sensei, Mr. Bear Carrillo.

Lauren was extremely social and thrived in school. She loved her classes, classmates, and teachers. She was never without a smile. During all her life I can’t remember her ever throwing a tantrum. She never gave me any backtalk, but always responded with a cheerful, “Yes, Nana!” no matter what I asked her to do. Lauren extended that level of kindness and respect towards everyone. I never heard her say an unkind word about anybody.

When she spoke about her future, Lauren’s only ambition was to become an OB nurse. She loved babies and children. At the funeral her pastor said, “If I could see Lauren in heaven, I know she would be babysitting."...

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