I was born in Africa, grew up in France, andI came to America two years ago. One day at home when I was 9 years old, my dad gave me sneakers (shoes) as a surprise, and then he said, “Your grandpa told me to give it to you.” I was so happy having something from my grandpa. They used to belong to him and he used to use them. He was my best friend, but he had never given me something before. The shoes were given to my grandpa by his dad when he was a little boy. I didn’t care that she shoes were so old—that made the shoes so special to me because they were special to my grandpa. The shoes also made me feel very proud because it reminds me that the Doumbia family will always be together, even if we move to different parts of the world and that we look out for each other. The real reason I was so surprised is because my grandpa didn’t give the sneakers to my big brother but to me. My grandpa told me that the sneaker mean “together forever.” Nine months after the gift was given to me, my grandpa died. I was heart broken. So one month after my grandpa died, I decided to keep the shoes forever until I died, too. Every Sunday, I would take the shoes to his grave and use that time to remember him and think about him. Since I was getting more and more sad, my mom decided to send me here in America to start a new life. And maybe I did. I decided to put the sneakers away and remember my grandpa in my heart. Thank you, Grandpa.

– Brahima

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