As I sit down to write this blog, my heart is heavy with the weight of loss, yet brimming with the love and memories of a remarkable man – my dad. On December 8, 2023, my father joined my mother, marking the end of a beautiful love story that spanned 62 years. Theirs was a love that inspired everyone around them, a bond forged through years of shared joys and sorrows, laughter, and tears.
My dad was not just a father; he was a pillar of strength, a beacon of kindness, and a source of unwavering love and support. At 86 years old, he lived life with a vitality and zest that belied his age, always eager to seize every moment and make the most of each day. Despite the miles that separated us, he made the journey to Virginia to celebrate his first great-granddaughter’s first birthday, beaming with pride as he held her in his arms, wearing his signature shirt proclaiming, “This is what a promoted granddad looks like.”
But as summer turned to autumn, a shadow began to fall over our family. Dad’s health began to decline, and what started as a minor ailment quickly escalated into something far more serious. By the end of October he was back home in hospice, surrounded by loved ones as he embarked on his final journey.
Those 40 days were a mix of heartache and precious moments, as we cherished every second we had left with him. His last week with us was particularly rough, as we watched him slip away before our eyes. But amidst the pain, there was a beauty – a beauty that transcended the physical realm and touched something deep within our souls.
In his final days, my dad saw things that none of us could comprehend – moments of clarity and transcendence that reaffirmed his faith and left us in awe of the mysteries of life and death. And in his passing, he left me with a gift – a gift of faith renewed and the promise of a reunion beyond this earthly plane.
As we said our final goodbyes and laid him to rest, I whispered those words that had carried me through the darkest moments of grief: “I will see you again.” And though he may be gone from this world, his spirit lives on in the memories we hold dear and the love that binds us together as a family. Daddy may have left this world, but he will forever remain in the hearts of his little girl.