Losing A loved one is one of the most difficult things we can go through, so much more if it is a parent.  No words can describe what I am feeling right now and I'm sure only time can help me accept the fact.

My father was one of those hard working fathers that always got his way.  His words were in the law of our house.  I used to fear him but I never thought he was teaching me one of the most valuable lessons in life.  Stand up for yourself, work hard, and do what you gotta do.  Many people remembers my dad being a mean person, but I discovered he was a kind and compassionate man.  I learned that the most important thing that he had was us, his family.  though he never said it out loud, we are who we are today because we had a father like him.  As you may know, my father never showed his feelings, but when you done something great, the look on his face made us feel like we owned the world. 

I remember when we were little kids, living in Henry Fork, he built a igloo with all of us kids.  We froze ourselves to death building that igloo but we had fun and we did it together.  Also when I was in high school I had a project to do where I had to find 62 different leaves on 62 different trees.  My dad took me in the hills and helped me.  He took a bread bag and he piced all these leaves and put them in this bread bag.  When we got home he seperated them all out by what the leaves looked like.  I never knew anyone who knew more about the hills or nature than my dad.

He was a strict father, but that was because he loved us.  To his friends, he was a very kind person, who was willing to help them when he could.  He always had a solution to every problem seemed like. 

Then my dad got ill, first it was heart attacks and open heart surgery, then stokes and more heart attacks.  On Saturday September 24th, 2011, he played with us kids and mom all day and all night.  He wore Bobby's UFC hat all night and gripped that he wore a rag for a gown.  He needed his pants to look good with Bobby's hat.  And when he went to sleep that Sunday morning he never came back to us.  I promised dad that I would fulfill his wishes and I have.  I will continue to be the person that my father taught me to be, you should to.  His shoes will never be filled, and no one can ever take his place.  Let's try to remember everything our father shared with us, and let us find comfort and happiness in knowing he has finally gone home to be with his mother Ethel, father Howard, Brothers Bruce and Ralph, and 2 grandchildren Javon and Daniel Jr.  Gone but NEVER forgotten, you will live on forever in our hearts dad.  We love you with all our hearts and we will miss you with each passing day.