My father

[bigfosty]

Today is March 14th 2009. Today marks 16 years since my father has passed away. We lost him when I was only 13 years old. It;s not something I mourn anymore, he was one of the most amazing people you could ever meet and so I choose to celebrate his life, part of that is sharing with my friends a little about him.

My father was a straight up action hero. When I was 12 a man came to our house with a shotgun and attempted to kill us. He was face to face with my dad, he fired a shot and missed, before the gun came back down from the recoil, my dad had covered about 15-20 feet, grabbed the gun, pulled it up around the guys throat and dove off our porch. I was watching from the bedroom window the entire time. From there he disarmed him and threw him the beating of his life. I didn't realize how incredible this was until I got older, I thought that kind of stuff only happens in the movies. I remember another time when he cutting down a tree, (we made firewood for the winter every summer) he finished cutting and shut off the saw, then looked over to make sure my little sister (who was watching him) was at a safe distance. He rested the saw against his leg but had forgotten that the safety mechanism that stopped the chain was broken and proceeded to cut his leg open mid thigh, all the way into the bone. He then started cussing and walked up to the house to have my mother take him to the doctor. Mind you I said walked, not limped, not staggered, but walked up to the house. This was also a point where I learned how to swear. He was a wonderful man, father and husband. But cancer paid him a visit. He got luekemia, and beat it. Unfortunatley after the bone marrow transfusion he got an infection of some sort in his lungs and because of the low white blood cell count he couldn't fight it off. So at the age of 41 he moved on from this life. Gone but never forgotten, he lives on in me. So heres a cheers to my father, action hero, hippy, logger, carpenter, father, husband, friend, and a great man.

This is my father and I when I was about 5. Handsome little guy, wasn't i? And if you look closely you'll see my big brother in the background destroying the snowman I made, which pretty much defines our relationship.


Next year I'll tell you about the time I walked into his hospital room and Jerry Garcia and Carlos Santana were visiting him, but you'll have to wait for that one.

[Irish_Alley]

sounds like a -_- man there frosty. my dad has Parkinson's and you know i never really appreciated him as much as i do now. i don't know how much longer i have with him but it makes me count every minute i do, and cherish it

[Blazin]

Was 15 years in Jan. since my father passed, I was 24. I understand your not mourning him any more time has a way of easing the pain. I still get a bit emotional every once in a while when I think about my dad. Your dad sounds like he was a great man, great men are rare in this day and age.
 Sounds like our fathers would have gotten along great. I saw mine take a 38 Special away from a guy, and knock him out with one shot at McDonald's when I was 10 years old. Then heard the cops tell him he was setting a bad example for his young son by taking the law into his own hands! That hit a nerve with him!! 
Me at about 2 years old with my dad.

[VileZambonie]

I wish I had good memories with my father. You guys are lucky even if they are gone at least you had that.

[bigfosty]

I'll tell you guys another one for sentimental reasons. But first let me first say thanks for the kind words, his life was worth celebrating and I did that tonight.

Throughout my life with my dad I only saw him cry once. I saw him hurt, I saw him in pain, I saw him in his happiest moments, and only one time did I see his tears. That was when he told my brother, sister and I that he had cancer. I have been shot, stabbed, beat up, had my heart broken, and been in situations where I thought I was going to die. But never have I been as scared as when I saw his tears. Those tears told me how serious this situation was, and in that I learned something that completly changed my outlook on life. That thing is, when you are sad, look into your feelings and realize that, that which you are crying for has been you delight. He wasn't crying because he was sick, he was crying because he knew he might have to leave us. Thats what tears are for, remembering the best of times, not the worst.




Sorry if I got a little cheesy there, it's a sentimental time


P.S.- Blazin, our fathers would have gotten along great.

[Lt.Del]

I couldn't imagine not being there for my son, who will surely need me as time goes on.  I couldn't fathom having to tell the youngster good bye for the last time.  wow.
Trying to imagine what he would grow up to be, his family, his career...
The best thing for you to do to honor him would simply make him proud, which I am sure you do already.

[DnStClr]

Great stuff, guys. The only thing better than having a great dad-is being one because of it.

[oldwhity]

Great stories guys! It really makes you take a step back and think awhile.