There are many people in my family who are special to me. I am lucky to be able to say this. I have been fortunate to have people in my life that really made a difference. One particular person, who has had a big impact on me, is my grandfather, Charlie Sullivan. Gramps is the best. He taught me to play golf, encourage my love of hockey, stressed academics, family values and morals and grounded me in who I am today. At age 97, Gramps is still the teacher and I am the pupil, learning about life from someone who lives it to the fullest. Gramps grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in Melrose, MA. He was number nine in a family of ten children. He put himself through Boston College and earned a scholarship on the hockey team. He then …show more content…
He bought me golf clubs, took me to Boston College hockey games, took me out to eat all the time and just talked about his life experiences and what was important for me to …show more content…
He went to school there and earned himself a scholarship on the hockey team. My mother also attended school there, so maroon and gold has always been in our family. I started playing hockey when I was two years old. Every night, there was a hockey game playing on my television. My grandfather really got me into Boston College hockey. He took me to numerous games on Friday and Saturday nights at the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill. I really fell in love with the Boston College campus. There was nothing better than going to Conte Forum as a kid on a cold Friday night to watch a game. He was very close with the head coach and I was able to go into the locker room several times to meet the players. Meeting a college hockey player is not too special at my age now, but as a young kid it was like meeting a super star. On Gramps’ 95th birthday, he took our entire family to a game. During a television timeout, the PA speaker announced, “Please give a warm welcome to Charlie Sullivan. He is turning 95 years old today and was a member on the 1942 hockey team!” That was definitely a real special moment for our family. It made me feel so happy to be able to call him my