MY DAD

Today I am ending my heroes with the person who was the biggest inspiration in my life, my dad. On August 30,2005, my dad died of cancer and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. In some sense he is still here with me giving me his advice and never letting me give up when things get tough. I do still talk to him even though he is not here, asking him what I should do when I am faced with a problem and somehow, I believe, he gives me the answer. That was just the way my dad was when he was alive, you could always count on him for help no matter what he was doing, he would be there for you.

Dad was a big man, standing six foot six and he looked like a cross between Leslie Nielsen and Andy Griffith. He had a stature that demanded respect; often my friends who didn’t know him were scared of him because when he yelled we all shook with fear, you just didn’t want to make him mad. On the other hand he had a smile and a laugh that made you feel like he was the warmest person you had ever met. He loved his kids, grandkids, golf, and the Redskins. One of his favorite things to do was to take us out for breakfast, he just love having a big morning meal with his kids and grandkids. All in all he lived for those family gatherings where he would be joking and playing with his grandkids.

Growing up I just loved spending time with my dad he was just fun. We would do things like play basketball, go out to eat, or he would take us for a car ride just because it was nice out. He always made whatever we did fun, you just never knew what dad had planned. He was also like a big kid, when it came to roller coasters he would drag one of us with him and his whole goal was to sit in the front sit, you just couldn’t keep up with him at an amusement park. I believe his love of fun drove my mom nuts but he didn’t care, as long as we were enjoying life he was happy.

One of my most vivid memories of my dad growing up was when I was in second grade I was hit by a car. After the car hit me I remember lying in a pile of leaves by the roadside thinking that dad was going to spank me for getting hit. I even told the police officer not to tell my dad because he would spank me. Looking back I guess I might have made the police officer think my dad was a child beater. Somehow I ended up in the living room of our house with my mom sitting next to me, (really I don’t remember too much since I was going in and out of consciousness.) the police officer, an old lady, and a young guy and the whole time thinking dad was going to kill me. Well dad came home from work and like in a movie, he picked me up gently and took me straight to the hospital and never left my side. I was scared to death but when he was there the fear was gone, I don’t think I have ever felt so safe as I did then.

To me my dad was more than just a dad; he was my friend, counselor, basketball coach, but most of all he was my hero. It was really hard for me when my dad was sick with cancer, to me dads were not suppose to be sick, especially my dad. My dad was always a big and strong man and to see him wasting away with cancer just about kill me. I still feel very cheated in life that he is gone because I still had so much I wanted to share with him. I know he would be so happy that I finally have a house of my own, his granddaughter, Ashley is almost done with college, and his other grandkids are doing so well in school. It is just sad to me that he wasn’t here to see it for himself because I know he would have been ecstatic about it.

My last conversation with him before he died he told me that he was proud of my kids and me. He also told me that I had finally found a good man with my husband Jeff and to treat him good. Though he couldn’t really say much because of the medication I know he was saying goodbye to me without saying the word goodbye. Even in the end I don’t think dad could say goodbye, even if he wanted to. He really loved life so much and for him it was hard to let go of it. He was an example to me on how to live life to the fullest. I know he is in a better place where he is not in pain and for me that is the best place for him, where he is the big strong dad I have always known him to be.