From CNN:Sen. Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died following a bout with cancer, Obama and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, said Monday.Only those of us with grandparents who took on the roll of parent can truly understand that special bond (in my case, my grandmother shared the first 12 years of my upbringing with my mother).
She was 86.
"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," their statement said.
"She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."
I'm glad Sen. Obama was able to spend time with "Toot" before she passed on. And win or lose tomorrow, she'll be smiling from above, with his mother and grandfather at her spiritual side, proud of the son they brought up together, and what he has done to heal a wounded country.
