Honoring Our Heroes... Grant Marin

Archive
Jun 1, 2013
2 min read

by Yvette Marin

I would like to tell you about the man I was married to for 28 years. Grant was smart, funny, insightful, and generous in spirit. He was a loving husband to me, a loving father to our two daughters Amy and Tiffany, and a loving owner to our Great Dane Bailey. He loved sports - watching football, playing hockey, or going to the games with his friends.

He retired from the Department of Corrections after 25 years as a Lieutenant. During his time, he served for six years as Vice President of NYSCOPBA, putting in long hours helping his fellow union members and making a positive impact in many people’s lives. During his time in Corrections, he was often in New York City. We learned following his passing, he had also helped many homeless men who needed a helping hand. When our nephew was tragically killed in a drunk driving accident, Grant helped his brother maintain their family's tiling business, expecting nothing in return. When our niece and her young child found themselves homeless, Grant brought them into our home. He volunteered many hours for Meals on Wheels and even donated his bone marrow, an excruciating procedure that he took, to help countless others. He was a kind, loving, and generous man.

At the age of 49, Grant suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage and slipped into a coma. For twenty days we all hoped he would make it through, until the day had come to say good-bye to the man, husband, and father our life had always counted on.

When Grant received his driver’s license as a teenager, he was registered as an organ donor, and further helped others even in death. I have had the honor of meeting one of the recipients of Grant's organs, and I have the privilege of now working with her and Donate Life, to tell others of the tremendous impact donating organs can have on others' lives.

Has this post inspired you to share your hero's story? Submit your story to featured as ConnectLife's next donor highlighted as Hero of the Month at https://www.connectlife.org/honor-your-hero