My grandfather would have turned 125 today! What a momentous birthday it would have been. His name was Antonio Gonzalez and he was born in a small village in Spain. His family had some land, but my grandfather wanted to be more than a farmer. It was what led him to go to Cuba and build what he thought would be a better life for his family. He was a kind and gentle soul who loved kids and had a terrible sweet tooth. He was also the handiest man alive. He could fix anything and he was very organized. I remember how he would keep assorted screws, nails, and other things in baby food jars in the garage. He came from a generation where nothing was ever wasted.
My grandfather would do anything for his family and as I mentioned before, my grandmother and he were the ones who took care of my sister and me when my parents were forced to leave Cuba. There’s a scene in The Family She Never Met where it’s mentioned that the grandfather lied about his age in order to get a job to help support the family. My grandfather did just that, making himself a decade younger so that he could get a job with a maintenance company at LaGuardia Airport. I fondly remember going to pick him up at the airport when he was done working his shift.
I was lucky to have such a wonderful grandfather. This is a picture of him taken in Cuba. How about you share something about your grandfather? Maybe even share a picture!
