Hello, please check for tense correction, grammar, and any feedback would be helpful. thanks

Jennifer Curiel
Norstrand
English 1
9/15/12
Limits of Life
I understand death is inevitable. As we grow older, death grows nearer. Death can come unexpectedly. We cannot change it or fix it. I cannot understand how I feel about death. In the past, relatives of mine have died, but I find it hard to develop feelings. Should I feel happy, sad, or angry? I should feel something right? I probably do not understand how I feel about death because I never give any thought about death. Thinking about death seems like a shackle on life to me. I prefer to live life without accepting death. Thinking about death sets boundaries and only limits life, however after seeing someone die in front of me, my opinion about death has changed dramatically.
It was a lazy Sunday morning. I lie in bed considering whether I should stay in my pajamas and lounge the day or get up, get dressed, and go do something. As I walked to the kitchen to eat breakfast, I saw my older sister. Unfortunately, Elizabeth did not work today. She informs me today is my cousin’s birthday and we are celebrating it here. That means my family will be coming, which requires me to get dressed. I could forget about lounging around in my pajamas.
The smell of barbecue ribs filled my house in the afternoon. I went outside to greet my cousins. Elizabeth saw me and asked me if I would drive to the market to buy more beer. My younger niece Stacy and her boyfriend Vince asked if they could come along. I saw the birthday girl and decided to wish her a happy birthday. As I was walking towards her, I saw an old, sweaty man stumbling his way towards my gate. He asked my brother-in-law Gerardo if he may have a beer. Gerardo laughed at him and told him to get away. The old man seemed to have drunk a couple of beers already. It was my first time seeing this man. He looked at least sixty, he was wearing filthy, creased pants, a dirty button-shirt, and worn out shoes. I guess he was just another alcoholic causing trouble.
When I returned from the market, the same old man was there.
“Hey look Martin is still here,” said Vince.
“Who is Martin?” I asked.
“Martin is this drunk who always walks around causing trouble asking for beer or liquor,” explained Vince. As we walked to my house, Martin was stumbling in the middle of street. Vincent and Stacy were ahead of me. Martin reached his hands to them. He probably wanted someone to help him. He was about to lose his balance. As soon as Vince was going to help Martin, Elizabeth screams at Vince not to go near him at all because he is drunk. After ignoring his request for help, I saw him toppling over. Immediately I thought, K.O. Then I heard a loud crack. It sounded like someone broke a wooden stick in half. Martin was on the floor unconscious. I rushed to check his pulse. It was there but it was faint. His breathing was rapid. I could smell the stench of beer from his breath. I could not believe how fast the situation escalated. I hear Elizabeth screaming at me to get away from him because she called 911.
The ambulance arrived ten minutes later. Martin regained conscious when they arrived. Although he had blood pouring from the back of his head, ears, and nose, he was trying to get up. He was probably to drunk to realize he suffered a serious injury. The paramedics quickly put him on the stretcher. I could see the puddle of blood that accumulated from where his head hit the asphalt. As I stared into the blood, all I could see is the replay of Martin toppling over, falling on his bottom, swinging his head back and crashing to the asphalt. Followed by a loud crack. That sound was irritating, like the sound of worn out brakes. I could not get it out of my head.
At night a police officer was knocking on our door. My sister was still drunk from the party; regardless she still answered the door. The officer asked if we saw what happened to Martin. He explained to us Martin was dead. He said Martin dies a few hours after arriving to the hospital. My eyes widened. I did not want to believe what I heard. The officer asked if we knew any relatives, if he was with someone, or where he lived. Unfortunately, we just knew him as a wandering alcoholic. What surprised me the most was how simple his death was. Martin simply fell over and cracked his head and that was it.
At first I ignored death because I did not want to acknowledge it. After seeing Martin die, death was real to me. Of course, it is real, but I chose to disregard it. I used to go day-by-day ignoring death. Now I see how fragile we are. It is simple to take our lives from us. Death could be standing right behind you and we would not know it. I understand now our place on this Earth is brief; I need to look at the present and never look back. I should enjoy life and every single moment of it. I have to let go of what I fear to acknowledge. I feel whole. I comprehend the meaning of death and life. I will always have death in my mind, but I will not let bother me. At least I learned not to drink too much or I might lose my balance and crack my head open.