When I was little my father spent many hours teaching me to ride my bike, play baseball, wrestle, football, swim and any other sport that remotely interested me. As a kid I had no idea of the impact of my fathers love and caring on me and many of his students. In high school it wasn’t uncommon to come home from a date and find a less fortunate kid sleeping in my bed. Everywhere we went, even on vacations we ran into students whose lives my dad touched.
As we grew older more and more stories would surface about my dad helping students to get to and from practice driving hours out of his way so these kids could learn sports; kids he purchased shoes for and kids that he helped get into college even paying to help some. I have spent my whole life watching a man who knows how to put others before himself and seeing him live that vision daily. I will never be the man that my dad is but I have learned a lot from him and I miss being able to talk with him, smile with him, joke with him. His favorite joke about a box that made no sense, his love for all sports and “the game”, his love for my mom and him making it clear that he would do anything for her.
What scares me more than anything is that my father’s dad passed away when he was 18 years old and recently when he was at Becky’s fathers funeral and they were doing the military funeral my dad was crying like a baby. When I asked him why he was so upset he told me it reminded him of his fathers funeral. He still hadn’t gotten over his father passing decades ago and I wonder how I will make it through when my dad passes.
I can only imagine that he will be in a better place with his parents smiling and happy that he has made it with them to heaven. One thing is for sure, if there is a sports team in heaven, he will be on the team. 🙂
Fast forward to today and my father has basically stopped eating and drinking this week. We are all trying to make him comfortable and hoping that he passes peacefully. I know he will soon see his father and I look forward to the day that I will be able to talk with him again.
Daddy – I appreciate everything that you have done for me and everyone else. I admire and respect you for all that you have done and most importantly – I love you very much and will miss you.
