Don M
12-09-2021, 06:18 AM
We lost my Dad Monday, December 6th after a short illness (NOT COVID). But he had been fighting Parkinson's Disease for almost 20 years, which left him all but unable to do his favorite things, except for the short periods when he was "good," and could move around. He tinkered with his 1979 Corvette endlessly (so much so we are having it sent to a shop to "undo" all his tinkering LOL) so it can be driven and enjoyed by me, my brother and the grandkids. So "dad's" Corvette is going to be staying in the family.
I'm attaching the last two pics of me and dad, taken right before the Parkinson's (which he was already fighting) came down like an anvil and curtailed the majority of his physical activities. These pics were taken after I had a screaming gut NEED to do a pic of Dad & his vette and me & my Camaro. It was also taken in the winter...minutes after my wife took the pics, and dad put the vette away, we had a blizzard which would have prevented the pics from ever being taken.
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Dad,
I've been trying for the last few hours to write down the things that have been going through my mind the last few days. Thoughts and memories of growing up. Things we did together, just you and me, things you taught me and things I learned and picked up from you, the effect you had on how I turned out as a man and a father, but there is just too much to write down. I was always very proud of having you as my dad, so much so, that I followed in your footsteps and became a police officer. Now I understand better about you, maybe not exactly how you felt, but with a better understanding of what it's like to be a young man with a wife and small children and having a career that consumes you more and more. Now, having walked a similar path and being close to the retirement end of my career, I have even more respect for you. When things come up, I start to find myself asking "How did Dad get through this?" Or, "How would Dad handle this?" Unfortunately, talking wasn't a strong point for either of us, so we never had any of those deep conversations that may have given me some insight as to what I should do. Maybe we could have used a bit more of Grandpa Wally in us, who wasn't afraid to give an opinion, or talk about anything.
There is so much more that I want to say, but it all boils down to this, I love you Dad, always have and always will.
I'm attaching the last two pics of me and dad, taken right before the Parkinson's (which he was already fighting) came down like an anvil and curtailed the majority of his physical activities. These pics were taken after I had a screaming gut NEED to do a pic of Dad & his vette and me & my Camaro. It was also taken in the winter...minutes after my wife took the pics, and dad put the vette away, we had a blizzard which would have prevented the pics from ever being taken.
__________________________________________________ _____________
Dad,
I've been trying for the last few hours to write down the things that have been going through my mind the last few days. Thoughts and memories of growing up. Things we did together, just you and me, things you taught me and things I learned and picked up from you, the effect you had on how I turned out as a man and a father, but there is just too much to write down. I was always very proud of having you as my dad, so much so, that I followed in your footsteps and became a police officer. Now I understand better about you, maybe not exactly how you felt, but with a better understanding of what it's like to be a young man with a wife and small children and having a career that consumes you more and more. Now, having walked a similar path and being close to the retirement end of my career, I have even more respect for you. When things come up, I start to find myself asking "How did Dad get through this?" Or, "How would Dad handle this?" Unfortunately, talking wasn't a strong point for either of us, so we never had any of those deep conversations that may have given me some insight as to what I should do. Maybe we could have used a bit more of Grandpa Wally in us, who wasn't afraid to give an opinion, or talk about anything.
There is so much more that I want to say, but it all boils down to this, I love you Dad, always have and always will.