He's gone now.

I was hoping he'd make it until I got there in the morning. My mother was the only one with him at the time. He started breathing heavily and then just stopped. It was very peaceful. It's a good thing my mother was there, even if he didn't know she was there (it's not too clear) - he really did not want to die alone.

Per his request, he'll be cremated. The memorial service won't be for another month or so, they think. He has family around the world and they are going to schedule it so that people can make plans to fly here.

I am not particularly ready to be consoled by how good the death was, or how ready he was to go, or how he had a full life. I want my grandfather. I have been lucky in that, until now, I've never lost a close family member. But that also means that this is all new to me. I don't feel like I really know what it means for him to not be here.