We were up in the Nephi Canyon hanging out by the freezing cold water. The smiles on every ones faces made me want to smile back. We wanted to have a picnic up in Cotton Wood campground where we go camping a lot. We would go by the creek that had freezing cold water running down it. I love playing in the water. It felt like the only place to get away.

We brought my Uncle Mike and Aunt Velma with us. They have never been up there before. At the time my Uncle Mike was fighting cancer. He has been fighting it for a long time. We brought him up there so he can forget about it and just have some fun. He is my favorite uncle. He meant the whole world to me, and I wanted to spend all the time I could with him before he passed away.

We were at the campground waiting for my dad to finish making lunch so we can eat. In this campground it was surrounded by trees and was very shady on that very hot day. It felt good sitting in the shade next to my uncle. We were drinking grape soda just enjoying the day we had together. My mom was taking pictures so we would have memories of this day. She didn’t want us to forget and neither did I.

We started to eat lunch. Hoggi Sandwiches, Doritos, and potato salad, I loved eating all of that when we go on a picnic. Having all the food wrapped up individual wrappings made it actually feel like a wonderful picnic. I didn’t think having a picnic would be so fun and memorable, but it was. My mom took a picture of my sisters and me with my uncle. I loved the picture so much it is in a frame in my room to remind me of all the fun we had up the canyon.

We were all done eating and I couldn’t wait to go play in the creek. We all got ready to walk down and see how cold it was going to be this year. Right when we got there my uncle took off his shoes and walked into the water knee high. The soft but high pitch scream my uncle gave out showing us that it is super cold. The smile on his face was so big. I could tell he was having fun. I throw my shoes off and jumped in. It was so cold but I didn’t care, I was having fun. My mom got a picture of his face the second he walked in. You could tell on his face he was having fun but that the water was super cold.

I remember him saying that he loved the feel of the cold water on his feet. It would make your feet a little numb that made the pain go away. He told us that he was having loads of fun with us and didn’t know how to thank us for getting him to come with us that day. I was so happy that we asked him and my aunt to come. I don’t know what I would of done without being able to spend that day with him. We had so much fun. Who would of known that having a picnic and playing in the creek up the canyon would be the best memory I have of the last few days I have with my uncle.

Just awhile after that day up in the canyon he was in the hospital. The doctors couldn’t help we found out the cancer has moved all over and there is no way to stop it. They had to send him home and wait. We were in school and my mom checked us all out so we could go see him before he passed on. My mom got a call from my aunt saying he is going to go. So we were hurrying to get up there.

Right when we got there he passed away. I was downstairs with my cousins while the people took him away. It was a very hard time. My mom keep reminding of us to remember the good times we had with him. This memory came in my head. I remember how much fun he had and how he enjoyed being with us. After we went home I knew that this memory was never going to leave me. It was my favorite memory of my favorite Uncle Mike.