Profile of Sean Vincent Gillis

Profile of Sean Vincent Gillis Sean Vincent Gillis killed and disfigured eight ladies somewhere in the range of 1994 and 2003 in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Named as the Other Baton Rouge Killer his capture came after the capture of his adversary, Baton Rouge Serial Killer, Derrick Todd Lee. Sean Gillis Childhood Years Sean Vincent Gillis was conceived on June 24, 1962, in Baton Rouge, LA to Norman and Yvonne Gillis. Battling with liquor addiction and psychological instability, Norman Gillis left the family not long after Sean was conceived. Yvonne Gillis battled to raise Sean alone while keeping up an all day work at a nearby TV slot. His grandparents additionally played a functioning job in his life, regularly thinking about him when Yvonne needed to work. Gillis had all the qualities of a typical kid. It wasnt until his more youthful high schooler years that a portion of his friends and neighbors got a brief look at his darker side. Instruction and Catholic Values Instruction and religion were imperative to Yvonne and she figured out how to figure out enough cash to enlist Sean into parochial schools. Yet, Sean didn't have a lot of enthusiasm for school and kept up just normal evaluations. This didn't trouble Yvonne. She thought her child was splendid. Secondary School Years Gillis was an odd adolescent which didn't make him well known at school, yet he had two closest companions that he spent time with a great deal. The gathering would for the most part stay nearby Gillis house. With Yvonne at work, ​they could speak openly about young ladies, Star Trek, tune in to music and once in a while even smoke a little pot. PCs and Pornography In the wake of moving on from secondary school Gillis found a new line of work at an accommodation store. At the point when not at work he invested quite a bit of his energy in his PC taking a gander at explicit sites. After some time Gillis fixation to take a gander at erotic entertainment online appeared to putrefy and influence his character. He would skip work and different obligations so as to remain at home alone with his PC. Yvonne Moves Away In 1992 Yvonne chose to accept another position in Atlanta. She asked Gillis to accompany her, yet he would not like to go, so she consented to keep on paying the home loan on the house so that Gillis had a spot to live. Gillis, presently 30, was living alone without precedent for his life and he could do however he wanted nobody was viewing. Wailing Be that as it may, individuals were viewing. His neighbors saw him late around evening time now and then in his yard wailing at the sky and reviling his mom for leaving. They discovered him peeping into the window of a young lady who lived nearby. They saw his companions traveling every which way and could in some cases smell the fragrance of pot from his home on blistering summer evenings. A considerable lot of Gillis neighbors unobtrusively wanted that he would move away. Basically, he gave them the killjoys. Love In 1994 Sean and Terri Lemoine met each other through a shared companion. They had comparative side interests and reinforced rapidly. Terri saw Sean as an underachiever, however kind and accommodating. She helped him find a new line of work at a similar accommodation store where she worked. Terri adored Gillisâ but didn't care for that he was a substantial consumer. She additionally was befuddled by his absence of enthusiasm for sex, a difficult she in the long run acknowledged and accused on his dependence on erotic entertainment. What she didnt acknowledge was that Gillis enthusiasm for pornography was revolved around locales that concentrated on assault, passing, and dismantling of ladies. She likewise didn't realize that in March of 1994, he carried on his dreams with his first of numerous casualties, a 81-year-elderly person named Ann Bryan. Ann Bryan On March 20, 1994, Ann Bryan, 81, was inhabiting St. James Place which was a helped living office situated over the road from the comfort store where Gillis worked. As she frequently would do, Ann left the entryway to her condo opened before resigning to bed with the goal that she didn't need to get up to give the medical caretaker access the following morning. Gillis entered Anns loft around 3 a.m. what's more, cut her to death after his endeavor to assault her fizzled. He cut at her multiple times, nearly executing and gutting the little older lady. He appeared focused on cutting at her face, private parts, and bosoms. Ann Bryans murder stunned the Baton Rouge people group. It would be an additional 10 years before her killer was gotten and five years before Gillis would assault once more. However, when he began back his rundown of casualties developed rapidly. Casualties Terri and Gillis started living respectively in 1995 not long after he killed Ann Bryan and for the following five years, the need to murder and butcher ladies appeared to leave. Be that as it may, at that point Gillis got exhausted and in January 1999 he by and by began to follow the roads of Baton Rouge searching for a casualty. Throughout the following five years, he executed seven additional ladies, generally whores, except for Hardee Schmidt who originated from a princely territory of the city and turned into his casualty after he recognized her running in her neighborhood. Gillis casualties included: Ann Bryan, matured 81, killed March 21, 1994.Katherine Ann Hall, matured 29, killed January 4, 1999.Hardee Schmidt, matured 52, killed May 30, 1999.Joyce Williams, matured 36, killed November 12, 1999.Lillian Robinson, matured 52, killed in January 2000.Marilyn Nevils, matured 38, killed in October 2000.Johnnie Mae Williams, matured 45, killed in October 2003.Donna Bennett Johnston, matured 43, killed February 26, 2004. The Baton Rouge Serial Killer During a great part of the time that Gillis was occupied with killing, dissecting and ripping apart Baton Rouge ladies, there was another sequential executioner that slinked the school network. The unsolved killings were starting to accumulate and subsequently, a team of agents was sorted out. Derrick Todd Lee was secured on May 27, 2003, and named the Baton Rouge Serial Killer, and the network inhaled a murmur of alleviation. What many didn't understand, notwithstanding, was that Lee was only one of two or perhaps three sequential executioners free as a bird in south Louisiana. Capture and Conviction The homicide of Donna Bennett Johnston was what at last drove police to the Sean Gillis entryway. Photos of her homicide scene uncovered tire tracks close to where her body was found. With the assistance of specialists at the Goodyear Tire Company, the police had the option to recognize the tire and had a rundown of each and every individual who got it in Baton Rouge. They at that point set out to contact the entirety of the individuals on the rundown so as to get a DNA test. Sean Vincent Gillis was number 26 on the rundown. On April 29, 2004, Gillis was captured for homicide after his DNA test coordinated the DNA found on hairs on two of his casualties. It didn't take long for Gillis to begin admitting after he was in police guardianship. The criminologists sat tuning in to Gillis gladly portray the odd subtleties of every one of the homicides. Now and again he chuckled and kidded as he portrayed how he had removed the arm of one casualty, expended the tissue of another, assaulted the carcasses of others and jerked off with the cut off pieces of his casualties. After Gillis was captured an inquiry of his home turned up 45 advanced pictures on his PC of the mangled assemblage of Donna Johnston. Jail Letters During the time that Gillis stayed in prison anticipating his preliminary, he traded letters with Tammie Purpera, a companion of casualty Donna Johnston. In the letters, he portrays the homicide of her companion and just because even indicated a brief look at regret: She was so tanked it just took about a moment and a half to surrender to obviousness and afterward demise. Truly, her final words were I cannot relax. I despite everything puzzle over the after death evisceration and cutting. There must be something somewhere down in my subliminal that actually needs that sort of grotesque activity. Purpera kicked the bucket of AIDS not long in the wake of getting the letters. She did, in any case, have the open door before biting the dust to give all of Gillis letters to the police. Condemning Gillis was captured and accused of the killings of Katherine Hall, Johnnie Mae Williams, and Donna Bennett Johnston. He stood preliminary for these wrongdoings on July 21, 2008, and was seen as liable and condemned to life in jail. A year preceding that he confessed to second-degree murder and was sentenced in the killing of 36-year-old Joyce Williams. Until this point in time, he has been charged and indicted for seven of the eight killings. Police are as yet attempting to accumulate more proof to accuse him of the homicide of Lillian Robinson.

Was it Really independance Essay Example For Students

Was it Really independance Essay The American Revolution was constrained upon the Americans by the crueltreatment from the British. On May 10 of 1775 the Second ContinentalCongress accumulated in Philadelphia, one month after the battling broke out. There, delegates from every one of the 13 states would choose freedom. A Declaration of Independence was required to state why the 13 colonieswere isolating from the British Empire. With this, POWs could request tobe treated as detainees rather than swindlers and help coul d be looked for fromBritains foes. The Declaration of Independence comprised of thepreamble, the center segment and an area pronouncing freedom. Themost significant part, the prelude, legitimizes the privileges of the Americancitizens. It declar es that men are made equalandare invested bytheir Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life,liberty, and the quest for joy. That sentence despite everything remains atruth with the Americans today. Jefferson composed the prelude with the helpof John Locke and Rousteu. Inside the introduction Jefferson composes that thepeople, to make sure about these rightswhenever any type of government becomesdestructiveit is the privilege of the individuals to modify or nullify it. Itgives the individuals of America the opportunity to impugn deceitful rulers anddictators in the event that they wish to. The opportunity that Thomas Jefferson gave us isstill by and by today. The center area supported why the colonistswere rebelling against the Britis h Empire. Here Jefferson composes that theKing of Great Britain is a background marked by rehashed wounds and usurpations.He reminds the peruser that the King has would not permit the Governors topass significant laws fundamental for the open great, obstru cted theadministration and that the ruler is sending over huge militaries to completethe works of death. The third segment authoritatively pronounces freedom inwriting. The whole exertion to finish the Declaration of Independence wasdone by Thomas Jefferso n, John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman andRobert Livingston. So as to pass the presentation all of therepresentatives needed to cast a ballot yes for autonomy. In one of the earlierdrafts an announcement around 175 words gave dark slaves autonomy . Thesouth a nyway didn't concur and undermined not to pass the affirmation. We will compose a custom article on Was it Really independance explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now Realizing that nothing would complete in the event that it was not passed, John Adams gaveup the war to consider that to statement stay in the affirmation. Thedeclaration was officiall as a result on July 4, 1776. List of sources:

Hcs 212 Healthcare Resources - Rehabilitation Services

Rehabilitation Centers: An Integral Part of Patient Care HCS 212 Rehabilitation Centers: An Integral Part of Patient Care Rehabilitation centers are designed to help â€Å"restore some or all of a patient’s physical, sensory and mental capabilities that were lost due to injury, illness or disease† (Farlex, 2012). Many doctors will prescribe rehabilitation services after a patient has suffered through an amputation, neurological issues, a variety of orthopedic injuries, spinal cord injuries, stroke or other traumatic brain injuries. Patients can be treated in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. This normally depends on the severity of their injury or illness. A patient who has suffered a stroke, for example will be treated†¦show more content†¦The services provided by the therapists in an inpatient or outpatient setting are available anyone who is in need. This includes people from all stages in life. Infants to children, adults to elders, everyone needs to be able to perform life tasks with as much ease as possible. Therapists are there to help should there be any life event that would prevent this. They also promote healthy lifestyles and teach people ways to prevent injuries and loss of movement. Children afflicted with illnesses or diseases that require treatment including multiple sclerosis, sports injuries, birth defects such as spina bifida, head injuries and developmental delays. Infants and toddlers can also be afflicted with swallowing or speech delays, which a speech therapist specialized in pediatrics, would be available for treatment. On the other end of the spectrum, patients in the latter years of their life can begin to have issues with their balance and muscle strength. Elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease benefit from all discipline programs such as the Big and Loud program which teaches them how to regain control over their movements improve muscle control and increase their balance. My own interaction with therapy services is personal and professional. I work in the outpatient therapy services department of aShow MoreRelatedExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesdevelopment in the multistakeholder context of public sector services. BBC – structural changes to deliver a better service. Sony (B) – more structural changes at the high-tech multinational. Web Reservations International – growth of an Irish SME company through its online reservation system and business model. NHS Direct – using communication and information technology to provide new ‘gateways’ to public services. Doman Synthetic Fibres – resource planning for new products in the synthetic fibres industry

Sexual Assault Within American Culture - 2065 Words

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Sexual assault within American culture has grown to epidemic proportions (Fisher, Worth, Garcia, Meredith, 2000; Tjaden Thoennes, 2000). Although recent studies have acknowledged the widespread prevalence of violence against an alarming number of female collegiate students, the vulnerable population remains â€Å"at substantial risk for being sexually assaulted, primarily by male acquaintances† (Senn et al., 2015, p. 2326). Studies have indicated that women living on college campuses fall within the highest risk group of the overall population for such assault. Moreover, assaults that are sexual in nature often precipitate sexual dysfunctions and can significantly impact a woman’s physical and mental†¦show more content†¦Further, despite the literature review, which indicated well-founded statistics that assault crimes are on the rise, there was a perplexing paucity of literature on studies that were efficacious in sexual assault reduction among college campu ses. College campuses are also commonly bereft of highly visible prevention and intervention provisions for students. The immensity of the crisis is worthy of attention for promotion of increased visibility of legitimate preparedness efforts for college students. Important questions to address include: Could students benefit from more warning from colleges on the staggering numbers of assaults and characteristic patterns of students victimized versus those who were not? Could they be positively affected to the extent that would limit their exposure to assault and/or increase their comfort level with reporting crimes? Although sexual assault events are complex, this researcher considered some of the common characteristics of these acts as determined through a statistical analysis of prevalent patterns of previous behavior associated with assault. Note that sexual assault occurs across all perpetrator and victim gender combinations, sexual orientations, and consumption or non-consumption of alcohol. The focus of the current analysis is by no means comprehensive, but it did examine statistically common elements among sexual and physical assault

Environmental Responsibility For The Restaurant Industry

Environmental responsibility is the duty that a company has to operate in a way that protects the environment. â€Å"The roadmap to environmental responsibility for the restaurant industry follows a path of incremental steps. It is an ongoing process that continually challenges businesses to generate greater efficiencies, reduce waste and expand their capacity to use renewable resources as new technologies and practices become available. In essence, environmental is a tool-a way of approaching business decisions that helps businesses achieve their existing strategic goals more efficiently, quickly and cost effectively (Recycle More, 2014).† You have an official responsibility for the effect your business has on the environment. All†¦show more content†¦using vegetable heads and stem to make soup stock) †¢ Further recycling=not as much trash=reduced trash removal bills †¢ Contribute eatable excess food to local neighborhood food banks †¢ Think about getting a trash compacter to decrease dumpster trips/container pulls †¢ Consider a Baler to bale cardboard and additional recyclables—this disconnects these pieces from your waste issues †¢ Work with an organics vendor to set-up a food waste removal program: Better handling of food waste is one of the most important opportunities we have to decrease our environmental footprint and address hunger in America, said Scott DeFife, the NRA s (National Restaurant Association) executive vice president of policy and government affairs. Food waste has a dramatic impact on the environment, so our goals are two-fold: we want to increase the amount of food sent to donation and also decrease the food waste that is sent to landfill (Recycle More, 2014).† Waste Reduction by Area Bar Beverage †¢ Be familiar with your customers—buy items based on what your customers order †¢ Recycle bottles cans—if you have little room to store your recycling, serve fountain or draft drinks. †¢ Use paper plates and plastic silverware. Use plastic cups and plates to prevent constant buying of paper merchandise. Appliances Equipment †¢ Uphold kitchen appliances—it costs money to uphold, but it costs more money to close down a kitchen when an appliance fails †¢

Pregnancy Discrimination in the Workplace Essay Sample free essay sample

Protection against favoritism in employment extends to all facets of the employment relationship. from the enlisting and choice procedure. through all the assorted facets of the working relationship. to the expiration of the employment. Pregnant adult females have important legislated rights other than those under the Human Rights Code. hereinafter referred to as â€Å"the Code† . most significantly under the Ontario Employment Standards Act ( ESA ) and the federal Employment Insurance Act ( EIA ) . These rights may overlap with the Code protections. or may supply extra protections. Common negative stereotypes and attitudes are frequently causes for favoritism in employment on the footing of gestation. such as the fact that a pregnant adult female will non be able to work expeditiously and efficaciously during her gestation and that adjustment of her demands will be burdensome. This thought is digesting and persistent. even though it is non tolerated by the facts and can be in fluential to employers to non engage pregnant adult females. Pregnancy in the workplace is a cardinal human rights issue of equality of chance between adult females and work forces. Womans should non endure negative effects in the workplace merely because they are pregnant. Workplace regulations and occupation maps may impact a pregnant employee otherwise than other employees. For illustration. in this instance. the employer refused to engage the occupation applier who was pregnant for 7 months. because of the period of her gestation and that she would non be able to transporting heavy supplies from bringing new waves into the kitchen. although she was willing to transport reasonably heavy 1s. This illustration shows the occupation applicant having differential intervention and negative effects. British Columbia ( Public Service Employee Relations Commission ) v. British Columbia Government Service Employees’ Union ( 1999 ) SCC 48. known as Meiorin for short. created a incorporate trial to find if a misdemeanor of human rights statute law can be justified as a Bona Fide Occupational Requirement ( BFOR ) . In this instance. Tawney Meiorin was employed as a fireman by the British Columbia ministry of Forests. The authorities adopted a series of fittingness trials that all employees were required to go through. three old ages after being hired. Meiorin passed all the trials except for one that required her to run two and a half ( 2. 5 ) kilometres in 11 ( 11 ) proceedingss. Her best clip was 49. 4 seconds over the lower limit allowed. Due to this. Meiorin was fired. The Supreme Court of Canada examined the old methods of analysing Human Rights misdemeanors. observing where they were deficient in that the research that the trials were based on was uncomplete and â€Å"impressionistic† . and did non take into history the differences between adult females and work forces in set uping a criterion. The Court so proposed a new â€Å"Meiorin Test† . In this trial an employer can warrant the disputed criterion by set uping on the balance of chances that the employer adopted the criterion for a intent rationally connected to the public presentation ; that the employer adopted the pecu liar criterion in an honest and good religion belief that it was necessary to the fulfilment of that legitimate work-related intent ; and that the criterion was moderately necessary to the achievement of that legitimate work-related intent. To demo this. it must be demonstrated that it is impossible to suit separate employees sharing the features of the complainant without enforcing undue adversity upon the employer. Furthermore. prima facie instances of gestation favoritism occur when the employee. occupation applier in this instance. demonstrates that she was pregnant at the relevant clip and the employer was cognizant of her gestation. doing her to see inauspicious intervention with regard to her employment. As explained in the facts of the instance and in conformity with the Meiorin trial. the employer justified the favoritism because he or she believes that the occupation demand to raise heavy supplies could non be fulfilled by the occupation applicant due to her gestation. doing differential intervention to the applier. The applicant notified the employer of her gestation. which triggered the employer to indicate out the occupation demand of raising heavy supplies. Although the applier was willing to raise reasona bly heavy supplies. the employer still refused to engage her for the mere fact of her advanced period of gestation. hence making a Prima facie instance. Second. The Canadian Human Rights Act. hereinafter referred to as â€Å"the Act† . prohibits favoritism related to gestation. Since adult females are the lone 1s who can go pregnant. favoritism related to gestation is a signifier of sex favoritism. Discriminatory patterns related to gestation. such as negative intervention. expiration of employment. torment. and refusal to engage or advance are against the jurisprudence under the Act. Harmonizing to subdivision 5 ( 1 ) of the Code. every person has a right to be treated every bit sing employment without favoritism of â€Å"race. lineage. [ sex ] . sexual orientation. gender individuality. gender look. etc. † Further. harmonizing to subdivision 10 ( 2 ) of the Code. â€Å"the right to be intervention without favoritism because of sex includes the right to be intervention without favoritism because a adult female is or may go pregnant. † Therefore. as shown in the facts of this instance. the employer infringed upon these rights. giving the occupation applicant the right to action based under sex favoritism. since merely adult females can go pregnant. This misdemeanor of the Code is capable to the bona fide demands because the fact that the applier is pregnant is non rationally connected to the public presentation of the occupation. and the applier would be able to transport out bulk of the occupation demands. Similarly to the Meiorin instance. whether the applier was pregnant or non. the employer failed to see the strength differences between work forces and adult females. If there are boxes that are exceptionally heavy. a male might still hold to be the one to transport it from the bringing new wave to the kitchen. alternatively of a non-pregnant female. This is because work forces and adult females have different criterions of strength. Consequently. accommodations to working conditions may be required to cut down or extinguish prejudiced effects. Unless the adjustment will do undue adversity. employers have a legal duty to suit demands related to gestation. The pregnant employee. the employer. and other parties such as brother hood representatives. must collaborate and compromise to happen sensible and practical solutions. In most instances. adjustments for demands related to gestation affect increasing the flexibleness of policies. demands. and regulations. and will non necessitate important disbursals. Therefore. in this instance. the employer could’ve hired the applier because she was demoing her ability and willingness to carry through all occupation demands. including raising reasonably heavy supplies that any non-pregnant female could raise. The applier was seeking to compromise with the employer sing the abovementioned occupation demand. nevertheless the employer did non demo any marks of cooperation. via media. or consideration of strength criterions. In the instance of Dorvault v. Ital Decor Ltd. ( 2005 ) BCHRT 148. a adult female applied for an office place. After her interview. the employer called her and offered her a place. At that point. the adult female told the employer that she was pregnant. and would necessitate to take a pregnancy leave in about six month’s. The employe r said that he would hold to confer with his concern spouse. and he would name her dorsum. nevertheless. the pregnant adult female neer heard from the company once more. The Tribunal found that the employer had decided non to engage the adult female based on her gestation. This is an illustration of how employers discriminate on the footing of gestation. neglecting to recognize the effects they may digest such as being sued. Discrimination on the footing of gestation constitutes improper sex favoritism. It is against the jurisprudence in Canada for an employer to decline to engage a adult female because she is pregnant if she is able to execute the â€Å"essential duties† of the occupation. The applier in this affair seemed to be able to transport out the indispensable responsibilities of the occupation. which were to assist around the kitchen. including transporting reasonably heavy supplies to the kitchen from bringing new waves. The employer in this affair could hold made adjustments such as taking into consideration strength criterions for work forces and adult females. If employers were more careful in the hiring stage with regard to the things they say. grounds they give for non engaging. and sing all fortunes surrounded them and the emplo yee such as assorted criterions. like strength. so they would non hold to travel through differences such as being sued for refusal to engage.

Sugawn Chair Critique Essay Example

Sugawn Chair Critique Paper Anthony Geha 10/27/08 Eng-101b-09 Mr. Mitchell My Family’s Sugawn Chair When I look around at people, and the way they act and respond to situations in life, I can’t help but wonder what it is that makes them act one way or another. Like complete asses in situations that don’t call for it, or other times when I feel like I can’t deal with something, there are those people who seem to have the patience of saints. I wonder if it is really the life they have lead and have been brought up to lead that crates their personalities for today. Does the fact that they have the warmest most loving supporting family make it easier for them to succeed in life? If there dad left when they were young, does it make it harder to trust people for them? Through the life I’ve lead myself; I’d have to believe that this is true. Now I can’t say that this is fact of course, but I will say that I’m sure if it was really thought upon, anyone could relate some aspect in their lives to how they were brought up. Then unfortunately as times passes as it surely will, you begin to lose people you love, people move, people pass away, family members divorce and move in different directions in life and nothing feels the same as it once did anymore. Even though this happens, you are still the person you are, on account of family and the values passed down to you. Though the times have changed, nothing in you has changed and you know the importance of the times past, then unspeakably and without warning, something triggers all those times in your mind and you can’t help but feel good. We will write a custom essay sample on Sugawn Chair Critique specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sugawn Chair Critique specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sugawn Chair Critique specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In the story â€Å"The Sugawn Chair† the boy ultimately loses his parents and is forced to sell things in the house, and move on and forge forward with his life. He then comes upon the chair that has been in the attic for years now and when he sees it he remembers and I think he can really feel the presence of his parents and he will probably keep the chair and tell stories about it to his kids and so on for a long, long time. While reading this story it is easy to see that this chair is a symbol of their family and their togetherness and their love for each other. Almost everyone I know has a symbol of lost loved ones or family symbols that have been passed down from earlier generations, and my family is certainly no exception to this. However, in my family the item and symbol itself is a little bigger than most. As a kid and still to this day my dad’s side of the family would have Sunday night dinner at my Grandparents house in Glenmoore, it was a time for the family to get together each week, tell stories of their week and how everything was going, and of course to be together for a while. Each week there would be undoubtedly good food, loud conversations, and the occasional fights and butting heads of friends and family. Then after a while of having a babysitter as a child my grandmother told my mom that instead of bringing me and my brother to the babysitter on Thursdays (when my mom and dad both worked) why not just bring them to her house, and she would make dinner for us, almost like it was Sunday. My mom eventually agreed and I and my brother would be left at grandma’s house on Thursday afternoons along with my two cousins who were always over there because their parents both worked all the time. So as it began to continue this way for a long time, Thursdays became another day that everyone would go over to my grandparent’s house and eat dinner and talk and so forth. Well, in 1998 my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and he unfortunately passed away later that year. He was a good man and though I was only 12 when he died I think we had a pretty good loving relationship. This was a sad time for everyone obviously, but we kept up with the dinners and I think it ultimately brought everyone closer together and made us value each other more. So time passed on and the Thursday night and Sunday night dinners continued. My Grandma had always wanted a bigger kitchen and after my grandfather died she thought it was time for a change in the house, so she had the whole house remodeled and now the kitchen is humongous! Along with the rest of the house as well, people would stop on the streets after it was done and just look in. The kitchen can easily be seen through the 6 big windows in the front of the house. My grandmother if you couldn’t already tell, loved to cook she was awesome at it and it brought her so much joy, that her cooking could bring so many people together. Then again in 2001 more tragedy struck our family. My dad’s brother, my uncle, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and he fought very hard for a long time but unfortunately in 2002 he passed away from it and this was a very hard time for everyone. Not only because of the person he was, but it was my grandmother’s child, and no parent should have to live to see the day one of their children passes. He also was working to become a reverend at his church and was extremely active with youth groups to help children find more religion in their lives. There was probably no one less deserving of his young death than him. But as time moved on, we coped and continued the dinners and continued to stay positive and loving. Over time we as the grandchildren, there is 5 of us, played baseball in the front yard and backyard, played basketball in the street in front of the house, played video games and so many other games like hide and seek and capture the flag (which was hard to play inside the house) we watched numerous world series games and super bowls there at my grandma’s house. It was a comfortable place for everybody. A warm â€Å"door’s always open† type of place. My grandma would feed anyone who walked in. She also owned a restaurant called â€Å"Minerva’s† on Fremont Blvd. where some of her recipes are still being used today, but that’s a whole other story that could go on for days. Years passed and in 2004 my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. Now this woman was so stubborn and hard headed that she was certain she wasn’t going to let this affect her. So she fought, and there were years in between where she seemed totally fine and like everything was ok. She was the greatest grandmother you would ever have liked to know, and I guarantee you’d feel the same had you had the chance to meet her. Unfortunately though, as cancer does, it took her from us in mid 2007. At that time we were just adding on some more room to the house because my aunt and her family were going to move in, to be able to take care of her and also because their money was a little tight. She did get to see the house right when it was finished before she passed and she loved it. Now not too add so much crap to this already large pile of it, but we had just found out at around the same time as my grandma passed away, that my uncle, my aunts husband and my cousins dad, who had just moved into the house to live with my grandma, had cancer as well. He didn’t last very long unfortunately and he passed away late in 2007. So this combination of seemingly endless destruction of our family was a big hit. For a while I was unable to go over to the house at all. There was just constant weeping and remorse. There were too many fights to even remember and everyone seemed like the only thing holding them together was my grandmother, and now she was gone. There was hope though, as time passed as it seems to do, we all were forced to keep it together, fall out was impossible because this house was important to all of us and we all wanted ultimately to be there. To this day anytime I enter that house I am overcome with memories of so many years and so many events. Everyone still comes for Thursday and Sunday night dinner and we laugh and love. We still cook and clean, and talk to each other. The house is my symbol of my family, the memories that I have were created in that house and though so many people were lost, it is important to make their memories last forever. We talk about my grandpa and uncles and grandma all the time and there is always a smile of nostalgia on someone’s face. I’m not as young as I once was, so there isn’t as many games played or high school type stories told, but it always feels the same to me, to walk into that house.