My dad, my hero!

He’ll always be my hero.

This is me and my dad in 1958. (Dad is wearing the original Speedo!!). I was 10 and my dad was my hero. With Dad, I knew I was loved and he made me feel like I was the most special little girl in the whole world.

When I was 14, Dad took me to the first Beatles movie. He watched in awe as hundreds of teenage girls screamed, danced, and fainted. His hearing returned to normal in a few days!

When I was about to turn 15, we went to Simpson-Sears at Carlingwood Shopping Centre, and Dad bought me the coolest portable record player that looked like a suitcase when it was closed up. He was as excited as I was. It looked something like this one, but cooler. Mine was grey and had two detachable stereo speakers. It was so high-tech for 1963.

At 16, he bought me the fake white fur coat Mom didn’t want me to have because it would get dirty too fast. Dad thought I looked beautiful in it…, and I thought I looked beautiful in it, too.

When I began to study music in my early twenties, Dad took lessons from the same teacher so we could learn together. He would call me every night after dinner and make me listen to the piece he was practicing that week. If he made a mistake he would say, “wait, I can do this, I’m going to start again.” Sometimes, he started the same piece six or seven times before he either got it right or decided he needed more practice before performing it for me. We always laughed about it.

Although he passed away in 1995, he remains very much alive in my heart and my thoughts…I think of him when I have to make important decisions and memories of his silly jokes and antics still make me laugh.

My dad will always be my superhero and my role model. I know he was just a man with human flaws and weaknesses, but his heart and soul were filled with kindness, love, and generosity. He was trustworthy, reliable, funny, and generous beyond imagination. I miss him this Father’s Day and every day.

Cherish your parents while you have them,
because you can lose them in the blink of an eye. 

Originally published in 2016

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