Mi Abuela

Mi abuela is 96 years old and still with us. I have never know a stronger woman like mi abuela.
She raised 9 children and then took in her 2 nephews after her sister died suddenly of cancer at age 27. She grew up poor in Panama her mother was panamanian and her father Columbian. She was always a hard working woman raising her children by herself with the help of her ailing mother. As my mother tells me mi abuela was always a stern woman and didn't take any shit from anyone.
She came to the United States in the 60's and then went back to Panama only to return to the U.S. in the 70's and stayed with my mother to help my mother with my brother and I. Mi abuela was always around when we came home from school, she made us our lunches and dinners and waited until my mom returned from work. It boggles my mind to think she is still with us because when I was a young kid I looked at her as old, and now I look at her and I think "no, now she is old!"
Her health has been declining the last 5 years, but until this point she was still getting around. She has suffered so much with illnesses and being in and out of the hospital. She is such a strong woman and has a very strong will to live. But, I fear that soon the fighting to stay alive must come to an end. She is suffering too much and needs to let go so that she can rest in peace. I hope her passing is a peaceful one and that she will always remain in my heart forever.