To keep it moving
My dad’s name was Edgar Allen Poe and he died a year and a half ago from a form of liver cancer called cholangiocarcinoma. He never stopped moving – no matter how tired or upset he was at the world – he just kept it moving. He set an amazing example for me in the future because I will try and carry on his strong will to fight no matter what. He knew he wasn’t going to be here to see me grow up, but he kept on smiling and moving forward.
To take care of myself
My dad was a very big and fit man; he used to work out in the gym and at home almost every day. Having cancer didn’t stop him from working out, but of course, towards the end of his life, the strength he had, started to wither and his pain started getting worse. He never stopped trying to get healthier for me and my brothers and I learned to always take care of myself in the process. To keep his spirits up we planted a garden in our backyard to try a find ways to be healthier and to just take care of ourselves. In the end, you can be one of the healthiest people in the world but still get sick and die; unfortunately, my dad knew that.
To respect anyone and everyone
I learned to be a respectful and happy person to anyone I meet because of my dad. He didn’t always want to be respectful to people he didn’t like, but he was a very patient person. I’m not a patient person at all, so I want to try and fix that and be the best version of myself. My dad had some anger issues, but he never let it take over him and I aspire to be like that.
To not be sorry
I’m a very emotional person, so when I feel like I do or say something wrong, I say sorry a lot. My dad always used to tell me to stop saying sorry because I have nothing to be sorry about. I’m still working on it, but I learned to never be apologetic unless it is necessary. I want to apologize a lot lately for just being here, alive and breathing and my dad not being here because it doesn’t feel fair. I know my dad would say to keep it moving and not look back.
To work hard
My dad raised five kids and worked outside in the hot Arizona sun for years until he was laid off because he had cancer. I learned hard work from my dad because he worked no matter how tired he was; he just would forget his exhaustion because he knew he had family at home waiting for him. He would always make time for me after he was done with work to talk to me and help me with my homework. He had a quad that he would take me on rides on because we lived in Vail and we would ride in the desert.
Fight for what you believe
My dad was working for hours a day but was paid very little and it wasn’t very fair. He tried to fight to get paid more but unfortunately, he needed the job he had and didn’t want to lose it no matter what. When my dad first got sick he went to so many different doctors and they were all saying he was fine and looking for the real problem. Then finally my dad was tired of feeling horrible all the time and yelled at the doctor he had and told him to find out what was wrong with him. They found that my dad was growing tumors in his body and this kept going for years and years. My dad never gave up on finding what was wrong with him and I want that confidence and courage.
Never give up
No matter how sick my dad got, he would take me to the park, take me out to eat, and talk to me while he drove me to school. I miss him teaching me how to work out or to drive through the neighborhood because he did everything for me. I plan to work hard and to never give up on going to college so I can make him proud.
Take care of business first
I want to take care of my future family like how my dad did. My dad had his dreams and his ideas on what he wanted in life. However, he had kids and responsibilities so he had to take care of what he started and he did with everything he had. No matter how tired, he found a way to make me happy by buying me the shoes I wanted, the clothes I wanted, or the food I wanted to eat. He took care of his family no matter what until his last breath on this earth.
Be ready for anything
My dad had always gotten bad news every time he went to the doctor. So he would be ready for the bad news and come home to me with a smile on his face saying, “I just have to keep it moving.” I knew it wasn’t good news so I would always be ready for anything and that is something that I’m better at now cause I’m ready for literally anything now. His death was a surprise to me but not to the rest of my family because they were ready, and it wasn’t a surprise to my dad because he had always been ready to die.
Live life to the fullest
I never learned to live life to the fullest from my dad, but I learned that I must because he never got to do or be what he wanted. I wanna live with no regrets and with no fear because my dad allowed me the opportunity to think and feel that way. I want to live with my dad knowing that I’m working hard and being the best that I can be. He is living life to the fullest now in heaven and he is no longer in pain and he is no longer suffering.
