September 13 is Grandparents Day, and we decided to celebrate with a contest. We asked you to submit a photo of the grandparent in your life and tell us why they're so special.
It was tremendously difficult, but we narrowed down hundreds of submissions to bring you our winners! Check them out below:
"My very best friends of 26 years! Without these two, I would be nowhere. My nan and pa are the foundation from which I stand. They have taught me more than I could ever learn from a book - the value of hard work, unconditional love for those important to you, and the the true meaning of strength. My grandparents have been married for over 50 years and can still act like a couple of newlyweds. It's difficult to speak of their importance without becoming emotional. They have given me everything without a moments hesitation. I would truly be lost if it weren't for nan and pa. They are so much more than the world's best grandparents - they're everything to me." – Allie
"Introducing Ummy, age 93 on her birthday. Ummy's dad died suddenly when she was 9 years old. Her mother went to work a second job and it became her responsibility to care for the other three children and do the household cleaning and cooking! It's no surprise she married my grandfather at 14 and started a family of her own. From that family, she has raised one grandson and two great grandchildren! She has literally raised three generations of kids! Her great, great grandson is 19 and we may have a 6 generation family in a few more years! At age 93, she spends most of her time socializing on FB, researching genealogy, and still cooks and maintains her large home. She is a history buff and loves her small hometown of Marietta, Ohio. She remembers everything! A fountain of knowledge! She is known and loved by many and the closet thing to a saint I have ever met. My grandfather passed away in 1994 after 52 years of marriage. She was only 66. He was the love of her life and she never dated again!" – Ami
"These are my parents with their first grandchild! They are the best grandparents! They FaceTime everyday – we don’t go over there and they love talking to him and him back to them. They love their grandson so much!" – Nohemi
"The three oldest grand children of five. This was the first of Papa's great secret adventures. Grab the ones old enough to stay over night and find a destination. No parents allowed!" – Ron
"This is my grandmother on her 80th birthday. We celebrated outside with social distancing since it was during Covid-19 and she was currently under chemo with stage 4 lung cancer. She just recently passed. This woman was amazing! She was married at 17, had 5 children, received her GED at the age of 56, and graduated with an associates degree at 58. She was up at the crack of dawn every morning making breakfast and then went for her mile walk. She spoiled all the grandchildren and great grands as well. She loved hard and would do anything to help anyone." – Jennifer
"I have three boys/men, and then my Sol/sunshine came along! We love spending time with each other walking out in nature, looking at the leaves, the caterpillars, the flowers. We have adventures on Pegasus (pool toy) when we play in the pool and make up stories. We love to do our nails, put lip gloss on, and play with dolls. We have so much fun when we spend time together! Mimi and Sol have a special bond..." – Paris
"They make each visit like a theme park for my boys... tractor rides, bikes, getting to "drive" the golf cart, and boat rides on the lake. Mostly, they love them BIG and make every moment together special and memorable!" – Sarah
"My grandma Ruth is my last living grandparent. At 89 years old, she has encountered many struggles, hardships, and joyous moments. She has sacrificed so much in her life. She is the glue that keeps our family together. In this photo, she shares a story from her childhood with her great-grandson, Levi." – Justin
"My mother, one of the few times where she can be with 3 of her daughters and 6 of her grandchildren. I wish we can have days like this one more often." – Karla
"My grandmother taught me that I could do anything regardless of what other people thought about my capabilities. After her first career as a military wife and mother, she pursued her second career as a Special Education teacher serving disabled students when she was in her 50s. Her teaching career began while I was under her care in my early childhood. Her encouragement and understanding as I struggled with my own neurodiverse challenges has been the inspiration for my own career advocating for inclusiveness through software accessibility.
My grandmother is a second generation Latina immigrant who grew up with very traditional values around the role of women. While her pursuit of a career was a revolutionary achievement for her time and our culture, her self-fulfillment through compassion is an even greater achievement. She serves as an example of how to adapt to the ever changing present without forgetting about where we come from." – Augustina
"This is my son watching his dad meet (both his daughters) our grandchildren together for the first time! Melts my heart!" – Nellie
"Visiting my 95 year old Grandpa at the nursing home, Corona style." – Phil
"My dad and daughter have always had a special relationship. He would do anything for her, like ride the carousel a million times if she wanted him to go with her. Its really beautiful to see." – Sarah
"Nai Nai rocks! My mum does anything and EVERYTHING with my kids, CC and Lincky. Water parks, hiking, horse back riding, swimming, shopping... you name it, she does it! Oh, and she's also 75 and can do more push-ups and walk more miles on the beach than anyone else I know. My kids have such a wonderful role model in their Nai Nai." – Tricia
"My father with his only grandchildren. He is 94 years young, WWII veteran with the biggest heart and a part of their life since birth." – Rebecca
"This is my mom and my boys last Christmas. My mom has lived with us for 12 ½ years and, while she loves all of her grandkids, she has a very special relationship with my boys. They all adore her so much and would do anything for her. I remember when they were younger, she would be down on the floor playing with them and they would be all over her. Now, I know that a lot of other grandparents do this, but my mom has been disabled and deaf for the last 20 years and things have been difficult for her; however, she still loves to joke around and laugh with my boys. They would be do anything to protect her and each one has a different kind of relationship with her. The youngest is her baby, the middle one is the one that she picks on and jokes around with, and the oldest is her protector, her helper. They just love her so much and as she is reaching 84 and having more difficulty doing things, I am so fearful that she won't be able to do everything that she wants to with them. They are so very attached to each other and their different relationships with her makes me so happy." – Samantha
"Gary & Barbara are celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss. They are the most loving and giving couple I have ever met. They are amazing grandparents to 8 grandkids. She is Hawaiian and shares the beautiful Hawaiian traditions with so much love. To know them is to love them." – Linda
Happy Grandparents Day to all the great grandparents out there! Make sure you print the memories that mean the most.