one year after the worst day of my life

It was one year ago today that I received the worst phone call of my life. I was sitting at home with the kids while Becca was out with her girlfriends and I answered the phone. It was my little brother’s voice on the other end of the line. I could tell he was pretty upset about something and then the words came… “Dad’s dead”. These words hit me like a truck and turned my world upside down. As those words echoed through my head I just sat there completely and utterly helpless. I felt like the life had been sucked out of my body. As I held the phone to my ear with all of the energy I could summon I could hear my mothers frantic, devastated voice in the background on the other end. She kept asking the paramedics if he was going to be OK as they did their best to put the life back into my fathers limp body. Needless to say, their best efforts were not enough.

My father was a rock in my life. I could always call him for advice and I still find myself going to pick up the phone when I have questions that I would have called him about in the past. I miss the simple things about my father like the fuzz on his head that would tickle my nose as I kissed him on the forehead to tell him goodbye. I regret not spending more time with him towards the end, I am ashamed that I let life get in the way.

I blogged about my fathers passing two days after his death and it was the basis for the talk I gave at his funeral service. I am so grateful for the time I had with him, I only wish I would have been around more.

Here are a few images that made me smile.


That’s me in the middle with the mullet