In October 2001, my paternal grandfather passed away after a sudden and brief illness.
At age 26, it was my first funeral, the first time that anyone I'd been close to had passed away,
and it would mark the first time in several years that the entire family would be together again.
I myself traveled home to El Paso from Los Angeles for the occassion. Although I didn't expect to shoot
many photos during this trip, my grandmother asked me to photograph the services, which made the events
even more important for me. Over the days that family and friends gathered at my grandparents' house,
I was compelled by my grandpa's memory to document not only such a rare gathering of loved ones, but also
the things that helped to tie us together as a family - my grandparents' photos, mementos, and home.