My grandma passed away tonight of COVID-19. She and my grandfather moved to America in the 1970s to give my father more opportunities than they could at home. She spoke almost no English and started working as a seamstress at a department store in her mid 40s.

By the time she retired in her late 70s, she was the visual merchandising manager at several department stores and had won many awards for her work, which she proudly displayed in her home. She was a talented artist, had a sharp sense of humor and was an incredible cook.

She was generous to a fault, worked harder than anyone I know and embodied Turkish hospitality in every way. She loved to travel- especially to upstate New York to see the leaves change every fall. She loved people (especially babies) and was beloved by everyone who met her.

I spent a year-and-a-half taking care of her when she was in her late 80s. We ate a lot of ice cream that year, watched a lot of old movies and took many long drives in the countryside while listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack.

Throughout my life, my grandma told me stories of her life in Turkey. She loved eating fresh fruit off trees and sugar cane from the sugar factory down the road from her childhood home. She loved Istanbul and swimming in the sea. She loved her parents and her sisters.

She taught me how to make borek and baklava. She was fiery and progressive- the only photo of a politician she had in her home other than Ataturk was one of Obama. Even with dementia, my grandma knew love is love and people are people, no matter their background.

She took a leap of faith moving to America and I’m eternally grateful for her courage to start a new life in a far away place. She did her best to make sure my dad had every opportunity in life which ensured that I would too. I wish we could have been by her side to say goodbye

I am grateful for the wonderful nurses who let me FaceTime her one last time, who played the Sound of Music for her in her hospital room and held her hand when it was time. Her name was Suheyla- she was my grandmother, my namesake and so much more. And I loved her very much.

A few people have asked if they can donate to my Grandma’s favorite cause. In her memory- please feel free to donate to @JoeBiden or a local candidate for the upcoming election to ensure a better future for all. #WeGrieveTogether