Obama’s emotional visit home ends quietly

[babsbunny]

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20081025_Obamas_emotional_visit_home_ends_quietly.html

Candidate visits grandmother, alone in his thoughts
STORY SUMMARY | READ THE FULL STORY

Sen. Barack Obama, looking solemn, left Honolulu yesterday after a nearly 22-hour visit, mostly spent in the company of his gravely ill 85-year-old grandmother.


The Democratic presidential candidate returns to the mainland for the final stretch of a bruising campaign against Republican John McCain.


While on Oahu, Obama made no public statements or appearances. His attempt to take a solitary walk outside the Makiki apartment building where he spent much of his youth was cut short, apparently because of the attention of reporters, supporters and curious onlookers.
By Rosemarie Bernardo

[Jackeens]

1. Heartbreaking, especially this photo:

[Triana]

2. I wish they'd left him alone on his walk. I was worried about then when..

...I saw the photos

Poor guy.

[Bucky]

3. Get used to it, boss. You'll never walk on the beach alone again.

[FLyellowdog]

4. This reminds me of when I said goodbye to my father for what turned out to be the last time.

If you've never had to walk away knowing that you may never see your loved one alive again, then you haven't felt pain.

I can still see my daddy standing on the back porch in his pajamas, holding on to the railing and trying to smile as he waved goodbye. His pain medication for the cancer had not yet kicked in so it was almost impossible for him to stand up straight. But I suspect that he wanted me to remember him tall and strong and still brave. We had spent his last Christmas with him and he was gone by the end of January.

I'm so sorry that Obama had to leave "Toot". My heart breaks for him...and again for my daddy.

[sickinohio]

5. I'm so sorry for you.

My children and I know just how you feel. Cancer is a terrible disease.

:cry: :hug:

You can see the pain of Barack having to maybe leave "Tute" for the last time. I sooooo want her to make it at least til he is elected on November 4th. She deserves to see him elected. And he deserves to know that she lived to see it.

[indie_voter]

12. It's horrible. I was able to sit with my dad while he took his last breath

The last day he was lucid was heartbreaking. He knew it was over, asked not to be kept on life support. He had Leukemia but it was the Stephens-Johnson syndrome which made his death that much more painful.

There are no words to distill the emotions felt at the end of life of a loved one.

:grouphug:

[msallied]

16. I got choked up reading that. I'm so sorry for you.

I am extremely close with my father and can't even imagine what that must have felt like. :cry:

[nyhuskyfan]

6. Don't read the comments

Fortunately, people are calling some of the posters out for what they wrote, but it is still remarkable to read it.

[Cha]

15. I won't read them but..too

bad they have such responses as you suggest in the Star Bulletin. Not that they don't have assholes everywhere.

[jillan]

7. I don't know how he does it.

His heart must be so heavy right now, and at the same time he has to be out in the public eye motivating his supporters.

I pray that his grandma makes it thru Nov 4th (or much longer) - so she can see what a wonderful job she did; and so Obama won't have to go thru so much pain during this time.

[rvablue]

8. 20 million prayers and well wishes that Toot gets to see her grandson win! Please God! n/t

[Lady-Damai]

9. Thank God... he has a great wife like Michelle.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. I remember the night grandma died.

My mom and I were at the hospital. She didn't look well at all, was in so much pain. It was hard, I remember walking out into the waiting room and just sitting there because I couldn't take it. She just didn't look good at all. When visiting hours were coming to a close, I walked in and said, "I love you grandma...I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" and she answered in a very fatigued voice, "I love you too."

I left the room with a nagging feeling I wouldn't see grandma again. This was hard for me, since, like Obama, she helped raise me. My mom and I got home and I was in my room when the phone rang. Something told me to walk out into the kitchen, so I did, where I was told grandma had stopped breathing and we needed to get to the hospital. We raced there and I just kept praying she was alive. I remember thinking to myself, "please let the door be open," feeling that if it were open, it'd be she was alive. It wasn't.

She died maybe 30 minutes after we left. I think she knew she was going to die, which is why she urged my mom and I to leave, she didn't want to die with us there.

It was very hard, so I feel for Obama. It's never easy losing someone who has been apart of your life for so long. :(

[firedupdem]

11. He did the right thing in going to see her. I lost my parent 4 months

apart in 98 and I still cry and dream about them often. I wish him peace. It's a tough road.

[indie_voter]

13. I'm so sorry.

You're right, it's a tough road. I don't think there is such a thing as closure, just learning to live without.

[sickinohio]

14. You're right -- just leaning to live without.

My husband passed away 5/2008, and I'm still trying to learn to live without, as are my children and grandchildren. My Mother passed away 2 years ago, and through my husband's 7-month battle with cancer, there were many, many times that I just wished my Mom was still here, just for the hug and the understanding voice that she was ALWAYS able to give to me. I miss them both very, very much.

I'm trying to learn to live without both of them. It's very hard to do.

:grouphug:

[FLyellowdog]

17. Thoughts go out to you. It took me years

before I quit dreaming about both my parents...Daddy gone in '72 and Mother in '75.

Even now when I get overstressed, I'll dream about them...young and energetic and coming to help me, I guess.

Tell those you love today that you love them.