Why I Do This Work: My Grandpa’s Final Days and the Power of his recorded voice

Visiting my grandpa in the hospital during his final days is a memory I hold close. I knew it was likely the last time I would see him, and with that awareness came a deep ache to hold onto everything I could.

We had always shared a special bond. He wasn’t just a grandparent — he was one of the kindest men I’ve ever known to exist. Steady, gentle, thoughtful. He made people feel safe and loved, simply by being who he was.

That day, I asked him about his life — how he met my grandma, how he came to know and love Jesus, and the stories that shaped his journey. I didn’t have a camera or fancy setup. I just recorded his voice on my phone. It was raw, unpolished, and deeply personal.

When I listen back now, I can hear my own voice, and the voices of my sisters, my mom, my aunt — all trying to hold ourselves together. We chatted about the weather, about weekend plans, about normal things during a time that was anything but normal. Thinking back on that time now it seems so silly to have talked about those things.

It made me realize later how difficult it is to ask for someone’s life story at the end of their life. It can feel like a quiet admission that the end is near, even when everyone already knows.

And that’s why I so strongly believe: the time to ask… is not at the very end.

We should be capturing these stories while the people we love are full of energy and life. When their smiles are still wide, their memories fresh, and their voices strong. The version of my grandpa I carry with me isn’t the one from that hospital room — it’s the man who showed up with open arms, who quietly served others, who left a mark on everyone he met.

And it’s not just about remembering him for me. It’s about giving my kids — and someday, their kids — a chance to know him too. To hear his voice. To understand the goodness that came before them.

That is what recording stories can do. It builds bridges between generations. It keeps our history alive.

That’s what I do through Positive Emissions. I help families save these sacred stories before it’s too late — so that kindness, faith, humor, and wisdom don’t fade with time.

If you’ve been thinking, “We should really get Dad’s stories recorded,” or “Someday I’ll ask Grandma about her childhood,” let this be your reminder: don’t wait. The stories you capture today become part of your family forever.

-Britt