It was on this day 19 years ago that my father took his last breath. That final breath marked the end of a 15-month battle with cancer. I had been at his side, day and night, for several days. As he slept peacefully on his bed, I stepped into the next room and turned on the radio to listen to the 5 PM news. It felt good to sit in the comfortable chair. I could hear the rattle of his irregular breath. As I sat there, I realized the breathing had stopped.
There would be no more fishing, hunting or camping trips. No more side-splitting jokes over a cup of coffee. That hurt. However, there would be no more chemo treatments. No radiation. No pain. No suffering.
Later, I found among his treasures a copy of the book that was my first editing project. In it I had written, “Because you read to me, I learned to love books.”
So today I remember my father and the way he loved his children, and especially the way he loved our mother.
Great tribute to your Dad.
Beautiful tribute thank you for sharing.
There is so much love and respect in your words…for your father. I am sure you are a better man because he was a better man, husband and father. It is so important to admire and respect the "right" people. So many folks have lost their way because they didn't have these "real" positive loving and hardworking role models in their life. Your children will reap the rewards of what your father and mother left with you…I feel honored to know you through these pages…and I thank you for sharing such a significant part of your life with us.
A heartwarming and loving tribute to your Dad. You brought memories back to me thus the tears flowed. You look so much like him. Your memories keep him with you, always.
How wonderful! Sorry he is gone, but that is the way life goes, eh? Whoever thought that we would be… older than our parents were when we thought they were old!
It took my mother quite a long time to die from cancer. Fortunately my father's passing was much quicker. Cancer is just evil.
I am sorry for your loss – I know it still hurts no matter how long in the past it happened.
Aw, nice tribute to your Dad, Chuck. I'm sorry he's gone and that you miss him so much. How nice that you were there for his last moments, and that you have such great memories of him.
I love his last day at work photo–look how happy he was!
A lovely tribute to your dad.
It is a blessing to have had a wonderful and loving father, and you were blessed.
Nice! Sorry your dad had such a long illness–that's how my husband's dad went too. Very difficult but glad you have such nice memories of him.
A wonderful tribute from a loving son.