Within a year of my grandfather's death, my grandmother had met another man, and she married him quickly. He was a widower, although he had lost his wife many years before. Whatever else might have been said about him there was one thing that stood testament to his character and that was that he had raised six kids on his own and done an outstanding job doing so.

Four boys and two girls ranging in ages from 11 - 25 and for all they had been through they were exceptional. When their...