VICKSBURG (AP) — Ever since his great-granddaughter was 6 months old, 103-year-old Harry Gillespie has been preparing himself for news of her death.

Gwendolyn Strong was diagnosed at 6 months old with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease. Doctors told her parents she probably won’t reach her third birthday.

That’s why the Vicksburg man was stunned to learn his granddaughter and her husband are bringing their 20-month-old daughter from Santa Barbara, Calif. to meet him.

Gillespie turns 104 on June 27. Victoria and Bill Strong plan to leave Sunday and hope to arrive by the first week in July.

In addition to uniting the generations, the Strongs are raising money for research toward a cure, to tell people about the disease, and to support people affected by it.

http://www.gwendolynstrongfoundation.org/

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sma/sma.htm

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Families of SMA: http://www.fsma.org/

Information from: The Vicksburg Post, http://www.vicksburgpost.com