How will YOU be remembered?
Martin Avadian was born, August 22, 1910 in a major Armenian-occupied town called Van (in Turkey). He lived there with his parents until the start of the Armenian Genocide (April 24, 1915), where his father was called to help the Turks.
As a proud Armenian, my grandfather was likely forced to help in order to protect his family.
Like so many before and after him, he was murdered after the Turkish soldiers no longer needed his services. He left behind a widow and an eight-year-old (my father) to fend for themselves.
Fortunately, my grandmother was a survivor. She left the family home and all their belongings and headed to Constantinople (Istanbul). She avoided the total annihilation of the area.
By 1920 she made her way by boat, arriving in America through Ellis Island. 
She was to live with her sister in Chicago, until she remarried having two more boys.
The three boys worked hard to secure a piece of The American Dream.
My father married, had a son, and bought his first home with savings plus a several thousand-dollar loan from his mother that he paid back in several weeks. With no mortgage, he saved 10% of his net earnings working as a machinist at General Electric while helping raise his son and two daughters.
His last child (me) was born on his 49th birthday.
After he retired at age 65, he and my mother enjoyed traveling across America until she developed congestive heart failure. He helped care for her until she died a dozen years later.
Soon after, in his mid-eighties, Martin began showing signs of dementia. My husband and I moved him into our California home. Martin kept repeating his goal to see the year 2000. He did.
Martin Avadian died on March 31, 2001. Despite the sadness of losing him, I am glad he didn’t witness the heinous crimes committed on the twin towers in New York later that year. He would have been ninety-one.
We may wonder…
Will I be remembered?
I believe we will, as long as we keep our relationships strong.
How will I be remembered?
I believe we will be remembered in countless and even unimaginable ways based on how our actions have touched the lives of others.
What are you doing today, to touch the lives of others?
Martin Avadian’s story has helped
tens of thousands around the world.
Help someone who needs an
illuminated path when caregiving–
GIVE the GIFT of “Where’s my shoes?”
