This thread isn't about politics, but about a man who was my father, my mentor, a role model....

[imanamerican63]

and a man of his word. It was 17 years ago on March 3, 2002, while I was delivering a load in California. My mother called me and said that my father had taken a turn for the worst and his kidneys were starting to fail. A couple of hours later, he was gone. I had just left home a couple of days prior. I was not home when he passed away. It is something that I regret to this day. When I left a couple of days prior, he was seemingly getting better.

He taught me so much about life, how to treat others with respect, how find a solution rather than a bigger problem. He was hard on me and my siblings, sometimes to hard. But as I look back, he was forcing us to see the beauty in life. No, he wasn't there all the time, but he was a truck driver trying make a living for his wife and 9 children. He made no excuses, never blamed others and always looked out for others with a helping hand if he could, even if it was a total stranger.

I called him Dad, for a reason. I am and will always be proud to have been one of his children and youngest son. I followed in his footstep driving a truck for a living. I wear his pride in my heart.

Dad, I miss you and know you are always watching over me and the rest of our family.



Thank you letting me share this with everyone.

[Karadeniz]

1. So glad you were blessed with a good man as your father. He succeeded at his most important job.

[imanamerican63]

2. Yes he did, thank you.

[AJT]

3. What a beautiful sentiment.

[MaryMagdaline]

4. Lovely tribute to your father

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. That is beautiful.

Sometimes it takes a lot of distance of time to appreciate someone.

My mother died in 1999 at the age of 82. She and I didn't always get along, but over time I've come very much to appreciate her and what she did for us. When I was 14, in 1962, she had the immense courage to leave my alcoholic, abusive father and move the five children still at home (oldest brother was away in the army) from northern New York State to Tucson, Arizona. Oldest child was 15, youngest was 8.

To say things were difficult is to suggest the sun rises in the east. She was a nurse, and knew she could get work anywhere, but back then nurses were not paid very well. She often worked double shifts because we needed the money so desperately. When I was 15 I had a Saturday babysitting job that paid $3.00 for the day (keep in mind this was 1964, so it wasn't that bad) and I invariably used the money to buy food for the family. Because otherwise we might go hungry.

The important thing is that she not only got us away from our father, she moved us to a city that completely transformed us. I'm sure that had we stayed back in NYS I'd be reasonably happy with my life, although it most likely would have been indescribably different from the life I had. Once I had a couple of kids of my own (and I only had two) and even though I was in a reasonably good marriage to a man who did not drink and was a good provider and father, I finally understood how much courage it must have taken for her to move us so far.

One of my sisters told me many years later that Mom had told her that those early years in Tucson were extremely hard, not because of the financial difficulties, but because she had no one she could talk to about us kids, and for all Dad's flaws, they could always talk about us kids.

I am so glad you shared this with us. Your Dad was special, and he did everything he could for you. And I'm in awe of people who drive a truck for a living. Especially as I won't drive anything larger than, say a Subaru Outback, I respect those who drive all of the many bigger things out there: garbage trucks, city busses, moving vans, whatever. All of you guys have a special place in my heart.

[Raine]

6. You had a special father

and you'll always have him in your heart and in your memories..

[littlemissmartypants]

7. So sweet! ♡ nt

[pnwmom]

8. This is a beautiful tribute to your father. Thank you for sharing it.

[hell674]

9. Just a thought

He might not be here anymore, but he ain't gone.

[cpamomfromtexas]

10. You are lucky. Mine recently pulled a gun on my son.

Seriously doubt I’ll shed a tear when he is gone. I already grieved what I didn’t have. He has threatened my whole family and committed mutiple felonies against me in last year. And he is a gazillionaire! He even made my wedding extra stressful threatening me. Made my life much harder than it should have been.

[hibbing]

11. Love your post, I too was blessed

My father was a busy man in academia all his life. Luckily for me he demonstrated a sense of decency and respect for diversity throughout his lifetime. For that I will always be thankful.

Your post is beautiful.

Peace

[RestoreAmerica2020]

12. Thanks for sharing. Paz.

[smirkymonkey]

13. Lovely tribute.

Thank you for sharing.

[Maru Kitteh]

14. Thank you for sharing this. It seems sometimes society expects us to "get over" losing

our parents because it's an expected event.

Your story of your father is very touching, and I'm glad you brought it here.

[malaise]

15. My favorite aunt died

23 years ago yesterday - we are the lucky ones to have such beautiful memories of close relatives.
My dad will have died 36 years ago come March 21. Oh My Papa!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=fy4qdGrdi4w