The Last One Left

At some point you or a sibling will be

"The last one left." 
You or they will be the only survivor of 
your immediate family.

There are 6 in my family. Parents & 4 kids. 
You could have 18 in your family. 
Eventually someone will outlive all the others.

It's (almost) a given parents will die before their children. 
In my family it was assumed I would most likely outlive the rest because of the age difference.

My parents were born in 1912 & 1915. 
My brothers Doug & Donald were born in the early '30s 
with my sister Diane in 1940.  I came along in 1956. 
By the time I was a year old my parents 
were in their 40s. 
My brothers were in their 20s with my sister near 17.

As "the baby," of the family you'd expect me to be around the longest. What you don't realize is it can happen quickly. 

Our mother born Feb 24th 1918 died young at only 73 in 1988. 
Our father born Jan 20th 1912 living the longest "thus far," died at 88 in 2000. 

Eight years after he died my sister Diana born Aug 17th 1940
diagnosed with Cancer died at 67 in 2008. 
By 2010 her husband George passed at 73. 
My oldest brother Doug born Sept 2nd 1930 was suffering from acute emphysema. 
He died at 78 just 2 months after George. 

(His wife Gloria predeceased him at 74 in 2006. His first wife Noreen died young at only 30 in 1965).

The immediate family quickly dropped from 6 to 2
including spouses we were 4. 
My brother Donald & his wife Barbara.
My wife Mary & myself (born Jan 20th 1956)

Donald born May 18th 1934 successfully fought prostate cancer 
many years earlier. He was in the clear after 16 years. 
However by 2012 cancer returned to other organs specifically his bladder this was
complicated by a host of additional health problems.
He died at 79 just shy of his 80th in 2014.

Excluding his wife & mine that left me 
as the last one in our immediate family. 
It is an odd experience when you are the last one. 
You are the only link to your family. 
Your family's legacy is left for you to carry. 

My Paternal Grandparents:
Carmine Tocci: 1879-1935: Age: 56 
(Death by impact/Train)
Grace Tocci: 1879-1954: Age: 74 
(Failing Health complicated by Dementia)
My Maternal Grandparents:
Loreto Cedrone: 1876-1952: Age: 76
(Heart Attack)
Maria Cedrone: 1882-1961: Age: 79
(Failing Health) 
My Parents:
Americo Tocci: 1912-2000: Age: 88
(Failing Health)
Christine Tocci: 1915-1988: Age: 73
(Stomach Cancer)
My Siblings:
(I have not included their spouses because
I'm looking at this list strictly from an 
immediate family perspective & how it 
relates to my family health)
Doug: 1932-2010: Age: 78
(Emphysema)
Donald: 1934-2014: Age: 80
(Cancer of the Bladder)
Diane: 1940-2008: Age: 68
(Nasal Cancer)

When you're the last one you cannot explain 

the vacancy or void. 

When you're the last one 
you'll understand what I'm talking about. 

If you are you already know...

At times being the last one 
isn't always easy.