To back everything up a bit, Ryan went over to Greg’s apartment a few days ago because we could not get ahold of him. We were very concerned when he was not answering his phone so Ryan drove over to his apartment and knocked on his door. He did not answer.
Ryan then found Greg no longer alive in his apartment and it has since been determined he passed of natural causes. Greg’s health has been a concern for a while now, as Ryan and I have both been to the doctor and in and out of the hospital with him many times. This is something I did not share on the blog, as I wanted to respect my father-in-law’s privacy. (While I tend to overshare my own life, I am immensely protective over the people I love and fully recognize that the health concerns and struggles of my loved ones are not mine to share without permission even if watching people I love go through challenges impacts me deeply.)
When Ryan left for Greg’s apartment we were both scared and filled with the kind of fear and anxiety that churns your stomach and overtakes your body. When the nightmare we imagined was confirmed, we were devastated.
My heart is ripped open for a myriad of reasons. Knowing I won’t hear Greg’s goofy “dad jokes” or watch him light up as he talks about Ryan and our boys or his travel adventures makes everything feel so permanent and so hard. He was always so quick to share the kindest words about our family and repeatedly built us up as individuals and as a family unit.
Knowing what Ryan went through when he found his dad is honestly something I cannot talk about aloud right now. It’s too much and too hard and something no one should ever have to experience. Ryan was truly an incredible son to his father. He is Greg’s only child and navigating next steps following the loss of his dad in such a traumatic way feels like a lot. We are walking through this together and with the love of our friends and family.
We are also remembering Greg.
We are remembering a man with a good heart who loved the outdoors. We are remembering a man whose punctuality could not be beat and who was always quick to chime in with the corniest of the corny jokes that made everyone simultaneously laugh and groan.
We are smiling thinking about the “gifts” he’d give us that he’d find around his apartment or at Publix; some that genuinely ended up being the most useful things we own. (The “emergency” duffle bag he gave us that Ryan kept in his car came in handy a lot! Who knew a rogue silver spoon might be needed on occasion?) We cannot help but feel a squeeze of joy when we picture him with Sadie, the dog he loved who fiercely loved him back.
He never missed reading one of my blog posts and adored the beach, Florida sunshine, family, travel, nature, coffee, hiking, Muay Thai, McDonald’s hot cakes and sausage and extra large bowls of ice cream.
Above all, he adored Ryan.
We will miss our beloved Greg, Granddad and Dad so very, very much.
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Julie, you have just honored the Greg that we have known & loved. Your words brought back many great memories. We miss him too. ❤️
Thank you, Mama. I love you 💗
Julie, how my heart aches for you all. We unexpectedly lost my father in law too. The pain. I am so so so sorry and sending you much love and prayers.
I’m so incredibly sorry you’ve been through an unexpected loss like this as well. Sending love right back to you, Kit. ❤️
Long time reader here… so so so sorry Julie. I’ve seen Greg pop up on the blog over the years and I know how important family is to you. Sending you a big hug and hoping you find comfort in the days ahead <3
Hugs and prayers for you all.
I am so so sorry for your loss and knowing how it feels to loose a great dad …my heart goes out to and breaks for Ryan, no one should have to go through that especially not just shortly after the loss of another baby. May he find comfort in all the great memories together, in his whole family’s support and especially in looking at Ryder, who resembles Greg a lot and has the same goofy smile your father-in-law had.
I’m so sorry for this unexpected and heartbreaking loss! I am glad for your family of the special memories you have had when he moved closer to you. May those memories provide comfort remembering the love you all shared.
I am so sorry, Julie 💕 You have such a beautiful way of writing, it’s easy for us readers (especially the long-time ones!) to feel like old friends and go through the emotions with you. Virtual hugs all around.
I am so very sorry. My heart goes out to both. I am so glad he moved near you as that was more time spent with him in the last couple of years.
Oh Julie, how incredibly heartbreaking for all of you, and Ryan especially. My heart goes out to all of you. I hope you all get the support you need while grieving, and that Ryan has whatever he needs to help process the additional trauma he may be experiencing on top of his grief. So much love to you all, and wishing you peace.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending love to you and your family.
Oh Julie. My heart breaks for Ryan, you, and the boys. No one should go through such a traumatic experience as Ryan did. Sending many hugs and prayers to all of you ❤️
Julie, I am SO very sorry for your tremendous loss. I cannot imagine what Ryan is going through. Please extend my deepest condolences. Sending love to your entire family.
So sorry for your loss Julie. Im glad you got to share so many special memories with Greg after his move to NC. I know he cherished his time with Ryan, you and the boys. I love hearing that he never missed one of your blog posts, so sweet! 🥰
I’m so incredibly sorry for your loss. May peace be with you and Ryan and your boys ❤️
So sorry for your loss… praying for your family
So so sorry for your family’s loss. Thinking of you all.
Praying for your family during such a traumatic and difficult time. Your followers know you will cherish his memory by keeping him close in your heart forever. RIP Greg. ✝
I am so, so sorry for your loss. It was always such a joy to see Greg on the blog so often with Ryan and the boys, and what a blessing to have had him around long enough for all your kiddos to get to know him. I know grief isn’t made easier no matter how long or short the time was to prepare, so I hope you’re all able to lean on each other for love and happy memories. My deepest condolences to your whole family and especially to Ryan.
I am so heartbroken for you guys. The only peace comes from knowing you know God, so you can get through this time. Prayers for all of you.
I am heartbroken for your family Julie. I will keep you all, especially Ryan in my thoughts as this has to be the hardest situation. I always thought little Ryder looked like Greg in pictures. I’m glad you have such happy and fond memories of him and hopefully the smiles will outweigh the grief in the coming months.
I am so sorry Julie. My heart just aches for your family. We are keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers.
So sorry for this tremendous loss. Greg sounds like a special man who loved y’all so well! Prayers for the days ahead.
I am so incredibly sorry for the loss of Ryan’s dad. My heart absolutely aches for Ryan and for all of you. I know it must be so incredibly hard to try to explain to your boys. I am so glad that Ryan’s dad moved closer to you all and got to spend so much time with you these past few years especially.
Your post took me back almost 15 years (next month) when I watched my own husband leave our home to head to his parents’ house. We too, had a horrible feeling and were filled with anxiety, not knowing what he was walking into. He too had lost his dad. So in a way I feel like my heart is just extra sad knowing what you and Ryan have been going through. It’s just too much. I’ll be sending prayers your way.
I am so saddened to read this news – my heart breaks for you all. Sending all the love, hugs and prayers as you navigate this unimaginable loss. ❤️ what a beautiful tribute.
I am so deeply sad for your family. Losing a parent is such a deep, painful grief. We lost my mother-in-law last fall, and it’s still hard to not have her physically here with us. We are wrapping you and Ryan and your family in virtual hugs. Take care of each other.
I’m so sorry about Greg. I can’t imagine what it was like for Ryan to have to find him. I’m so glad he moved to Charlotte to be near your family so you all got quality time and memories to cherish now.
Julie and Ryan, I’m so sorry for your loss. Please know you’re in my thoughts and prayers. xoxo
Oh Julie, I am so heartbroken for your family reading this. I’m a long time reader & feel like I know all of you. May Greg’s name forever be a blessing. Thinking of you & your families & sending my love.
Sending my deepest condolences to you and your family. I hope and pray that with time, the many happy memories you shared together will outweigh the pain and trauma you are experiencing and bring you healing. We lost my father-in-law almost five years ago and miss him every day. I hope your boys are doing ok – it is a lot for them to process and understand.
What a lovely tribute. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Oh gosh, I’m so so sorry. I loved reading your posts about Greg. I know he will be truly missed by your family and all that knew him. My sincere condolences to Ryan, you, the boys, and family. RIP Greg.
Julie, I am so sorry for your family’s loss. This has to be a devastating loss for all of you. My heart hurts thinking about Ryan having to find his father this way. I will be holding you all in my heart and praying for your peace and comfort in the days ahead.
Julie, what a beautiful tribute to your father-in-law. It was evident reading your blog over the years. I am so deeply sorry to read this news this morning.
I will be praying for comfort for your family as you navigate through this. As the wife of a husband who lost his dad too soon as well, I wanted to tell you how lucky Ryan is to have you to lean on and grieve with. Sending you ALL the love.
I’m so, so sorry for all of you. Take plenty of time and space to just be with your family, and learn how to move forward in this new way. What a loss <3
I am so very sorry for your loss. May the memories that you have made help you find peace.
I’m so sorry to hear this. Praying for you and Ryan and your boys. This was a beautiful and heartfelt piece of writing. I’m so sorry you are going through this.
I am so so sorry to hear about Ryan’s father. When you hadn’t posted for so long, I started to feel some dread about what thing must have happened. It must be such a sad and difficult time for your family.
I am so sorry for your loss. Especially to find out in such a traumatic way. What a beautiful tribute to him and the love you shared! Sending lots of good thoughts to you and your family!
I’m so sorry for your loss! I love reading your blog especially the parts about family. I know you’ll all miss him dearly.
My heart hurts for you all. I’m so so sorry.
Wow I am so shocked and shattered with you. I’m so sorry! He seemed like such a loving man and I know he loved those boys of yours so much! Thinking of y’all.
As a long time reader, I’m devastated for Ryan and your family. My heart breaks for you. May you treasure all the special times you had together. Sending love your way.
As a long time reader, I am so sorry for you all. My husband was the one who had to find his father also, and It truly is traumatic. Thinking of you all as you navigate these next steps. Cherish all the memories and time spent with him.
So very sorry for your loss, Julie. I’ll be thinking of you, Ryan, and your entire family – and sending so much love your way. <3
Oh this brought me to tears. My heart aches for you all. I recently lost my dad and know the pain you are experiencing all too well. It’s so hard to lose a parent, especially having young children, navigating grief with them is also so hard. Please share with Ryan that grieving a parent is one of the hardest things and it’s something you cannot rush through, feeling whatever he needs to feel is part of the process. This was shared with me after my dad passed and I hope it resonates with you all….
Miss me But Let me Go
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free
Miss me a little but not for long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me, but let me go
For this is a journey we all must take
And each must go alone
It’s all a part of the master plan
A step on the road to Home
When you are lonely and sick at heart
Go to the friends we know
Laugh at all the things that we used to do
Miss me, but let me go
I lost my mom in 2021 and it’s a pain that I have never felt . I can only hope he can try to cope with the fond memories. On a side note I always thought your middle son (Ryder?) resembles him so much 💙
What a beautiful tribute. I’m so very sorry. Thinking of you all
Sending you hugs, Julie. So, so sorry for your loss and everything you, the boys and Ryan are going through.
Julie and Ryan, I’m so deeply sorry for your loss. This news brought tears to my eyes as Ryan’s dad has popped up on the blog so frequently throughout the years. I cannot imagine the pain that Ryan and your family are going through.
Wishing you all strength and peace.
Oh Julie I am so feeling for your family. I lost my father very unexpectedly five years ago and I feel for what you are going through. Like your family, my father was an everyday part of my boys lives and that loss is nothing that can be put into words. ❤️
Sending you and your family so much love, and deepest sympathies. I understand from the point of view of the wife and daughter in law, as my husband lost his dad (his best friend), 8 years ago now. It was not unexpected, as he had terminal cancer, but the hole it leaves in our family sounds much like yours. My days following his passing was trying to hold up my husband, as well as our kids, but mainly my husband who had lost his rock. I know the days are tough. I would pray over my husband and just be with him, letting him know that I am here. From one wife to another, hang in there, and know that this deepest part of the ache will ease. Love from Missouri❤️