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Willis G. Nelson

by Megan from Pleasant Grove

I thought a lot about who my hero could be and I think the person that has made an impact in my life has been my great-grandpa, Willis G. Nelson. Every time we went to see him he was always so enthusiastic, enjoyable and fun to be around. Unfortunately, he died 9 months ago, but I will never forget the way he was. We went to his house in St. George months before he died, and when we went there he had made up songs and would sing them to us with a huge smile on his face. He even made instruments out of cans and boards that he had put together for us to play with. He was a very talented man when it came to writing and creative ideas. He was always positive about life, no matter what was going on. He had goals and was dedicated to reaching them.

His wife, my great-grandma, died 12 years ago so he was alone for quite some time without her. He was devastated, as he expressed in a poem:

“Thank God for hopes and memories that soften life’s travails,
and promises that we’ll meet again somewhere beyond the veil.”

He would say that someday he and she would be united. He knew he had to be here on earth for his family a little longer. I admired so much about him. He was very dedicated to his work and his family. He was a teacher, then later a principal and made an impact on more than just one or two lives. He was always loved by the children and would put others' needs before his own.

He could always find work enjoyable and loved helping others. He was a “fixer upper.” Whenever anyone needed some help, he was always the one you could rely on to get the job done right. Even in his early 90’s he was up and about still fixing things, doing his paintings and his yardwork.

The last couple of months that he was alive were very difficult for him. He had prostate cancer and had to get his prostate and bladder removed. When we went to go see him, you could tell he was in a lot of pain, but he was still the same man. He lived life like every day was a gift. At his funeral, every one of his children had something wonderful to say about him. He had a lot of friends and family to come support him and the life that he had led. He had made a tremendous impact on all their lives as well.

I admire that he was full of love. He would always be interested in our lives and was always there to talk to. He was just one of those guys that could make you smile and would always make you feel special. He was always trying to make a difference and please everybody.

My great-grandpa is one of my heroes because I looked up to him so much and the life that he led. I want to have all the qualities that he had so I can be remembered like him. I want to follow his example and fill my life with accomplishments and enthusiasm like he did and always live my life to the fullest.

Page created on 9/4/2011 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 9/4/2011 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.