She who made me an uncle

My oldest niece, Danielle, only has three days of high school left and graduates next weekend.

I will never forget the day she was born — New Year’s Eve 1991. Of all things, Dad and I went to the zoo that day. Just the two of us. The next day, at the fancy New Year’s brunch that Mom & Dad were invited to every year, he “celebrated” his first grandchild’s arrival so much that they had to leave early.

He died six months later.

She was the only grandchild he ever held.