Major Loss

          Ronald Antone Soares was an amazing man who lived an amazing life. In his spare time he enjoyed working. He was also an avid mechanic, fisher and hunter. Watching Nascar was one of his favorite pastimes. Ronald Antone Soares was my Grandfather, who unfortunately passed away in 2009 leaving behind 3 children, a wife and many grandchildren.
          He was "Pop" to me and the rest of the family. I'm not sure where that nickname for him came from but it stuck. We had called him that for as long as I remember. The memories with Pop are only good ones, ones that I will cherish forever. Out of high school Pop joined the Marine Corps, he stayed in this for four years. During this time he traveled the world and in his last few years in the Marine Cops he was stationed on a base in North Carolina, where him and my grandmother had their first child; my Auntie Kim, whom we call Auntie Coco. In the Marine Corps Pop was stationed on boats. His job was to keep the engines maintained. After the Marines Corps Pop went to two years of college for business. Around this time he had two more children with my grandmother, my father; Ronnie, and then my uncle; Richard. Pop then worked at a regional high school as the automotive teacher, but only for a few months. This regional high school is the high school attended. After this my grandfather settled down. Him and my grandmother bought a twelve acre property in Swansea Massachusetts set back far in the woods and built their dream home. He them worked as a diesel mechanic, for as long as I can remember.
          I love my Grandparents home. As I said it was set back far in the woods, about half a mile. Once you drive up the terrible pitted driveway you come to a large hill, Sitting on this hill was my Grandparents home, standing in all it's glory. Inside it was always dimly lit and very old fashion, but I liked that about it. One day I hope to own this house and property. When we were young my brother and I would sleep at my grandparents house. We stayed up watching cartoons with my grandparents and slept in their California king sized bed with them. When we would wake up there would be two boxes of donuts waiting on the counter for us. These donuts came from a bakery somewhere in Somerset, they were not like any other donuts I had ever had before. They tasted so much more delicious than an average donut from dunkin donuts. Pop would go and buy us these donuts every time we slept over so we could eat them for breakfast, before he would go to work for the day.
          One thing I recall about my grandfather that believe is amazing is how great of a mechanic he was. At the time before his passing he owned a 1948 Chevy Coupe he had restored and a 1969 Ford Mustang Gt Fastback 351 Windsor five speed which he was in the process of restoring. This car is an extremely rare car and my grandfather knew that. His plans were to restore this car to its former glory while leaving it as original as possible. Six years after his death this vehicle sits exactly where he left it. In pieces in his garage. One day I will finish what my grandfather couldn't. Today it is very evident that Pop's love for vehicles has rubbed off on his sons, and me. My uncles main toy in his 2012 Shelby GT Mustang, an incredibly expensive car. My father owns a 1965 Mustang coupe and 1970 Boss 302. He is currently in the process of restoring the 1965, he has owned this since he was 18 years old. One day I hope to help him finish both. I have recently learned of my love for vehicles. I hope to go into field where I can work on vehicles.
          On March 31st, 2009 I was in the sixth grade, I came home to an empty home. This was odd since my parents are always home at this time. My cousin picked up my brother and I and we spent the day at her house. When my parents came to pick us up later that night they brought us outside and told us the news. We immediately broke down to what we had just heard. Earlier that day, around 12 O'clock I'd say, after his daily routine of going out to eat and seeing friends, Pop was cutting down a large tree in his yard. He was working on this project with my Grandmother and my older cousin. Pop cut the tree down and sent my grandmother and cousin to fetch some ant killer in the garage because there were some ants. When they came back my Grandfather was on the ground. My cousin proceeded to give CPR but unfortunately it was too late. My Grandfather had suffered a heart attack and was pronounced death upon the arrival of the ambulance.
          Only two days before we had visited my Grandparents, this was the last time a saw Pop. That day, in the twenty minutes we were at my grandparents house, I showed my grandfather what I had been learning on the guitar, he seemed so proud. That day I also learned that he had played the bass guitar and he planned on showing me a thing or two on bass. Since then I have become a successful musician in my band, The Fairview. Pop had lived an incredible life, it is extremely unfortunate that we are forced to live without him now. I hope to live a life as great as his, and to one day be as an incredible of a man as he was.