How Do You See Memories?

Today I got the call. An uncle of mine is going to die. I've known for awhile, but it seems he's fading fast.

I have a lifetime of memories of this man. A man who lived like a movie character.
This is a guy who had a t.v. watch in the 70's and could tell you the time at locations all around the world in one breath. An early adopter of technology that had laserdisk players, satellites, and gadgets long before most people have even dreamed such things existed. Also, he taped together several rulers with duct tape so he didn't have to get out of bed to change settings.

Yet, he was not an educated man nor a rich man. He was a carpenter of immense skill and work ethic.

Are my last, and possibly most poignant, memories of John Connor to be him wasting away in a hospital?

I know this isn't about what I want.