There are those tragic moments that happen in everyone’s life that impact the way you live your own. If you close your eyes and think, you may be able to come up with at least one tragic, horrifying moment that has happened. No matter if you’re young or old those moments stay with you for the rest of your lives. You can’t change what happened, but you can change how you feel. Can you think of one yet? I can.


Ever since I can remember my father has always been going to a cardiologist at least once a year, but this never fazed me. I always thought he was getting a checkup. As the years passed and I grew older, I remember learning about his condition. I remember my mom talking on the phone to someone close, scared out of her mind. See, my dad needed surgery, but not any surgery, open heart. I remember never thinking about it because I knew it was going to be a few years before anything ever occurred. Those years flew by until the day came. My dad was finally scheduled to be put under. You hear all of the reassurance, but somehow that is not enough when you’re dealing with someone that close. The day came where he was taken to the hospital for his operation.


He left around five in the morning and I remember it in amazing detail; every minute down to a second. I remember him coming into my room to wake me up. Of course I was already awake, how couldn’t I be? The fear in his face was overwhelming, but I played the strong role. I remember how he gave me his necklace with a cross on it. He said he couldn’t wear it during the operation so he wanted me to wear it, I never took it off after that. The minute he left I broke into pieces, remembering everything and telling myself he wasn’t going to be all right. My sister, who was trying to console me, wasn’t helping, because I knew when he left us that he had the thought that he wasn’t coming back.


My father made it through the operation. Ill never forgot the excitement I felt when I got to see him, even though he wasn’t awake. He had made it through a horror story. These are the moments I will never forget; not the petty little things in life, but the ones that stand out and shake you up. My father is my inspiration and who I aspire to become like, his willingness and his toughness makes him who he is. As kids we get told we are just like our fathers. Well, it would be an honor to be like my dad.