Barack Obama’s grandmother, who was more like a mother to him, “the cornerstone of our family” as the senator put it, died of cancer yesterday at 86, the Democrat presidential campaign announced.

The death of Madelyn Dunham came just a day before Election Day and although it casts a somber tone on the elections, it couldn’t have been better for the Illinois Senator. Of course he’s is grieving, but the death of his beloved grandmother just before the elections it a great image booster.

Madelyn Dunham, Obama’s closest remaining relative, died of cancer at her home in Hawaii.

"Look, she has gone home," Obama, told a crowd of 25,000 at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte last night.

"She died peacefully in her sleep with my sister at her side. And so there's great joy, as well as tears. I'm not going to talk about it too long, because it's hard to talk about,” the senator added as his eyes were welling and his voice gave away the strong emotions he was going through.

Obama described his late grandmother, whom he affectionally called "Toot," as one of the numerous “quite heroes” America has and turned the story into a political statement saying that his campaign fights for these quite heroes because that’s what America is all about.

John McCain, Obama’s rival in the race for the White House, issued a statement of condolence with the occasion of Madelyn Dunham’s death. The Arizona Senator and his wife Cindy offered prayers for Obama and his family.

"We mourn his loss and we are with him and his family today," McCain later said while holding a rally in New Mexico.