It is hard to believe that it will be 7 years tomorrow since I saw my Dad for the last time. Thankfully, Dan, Zach and I went to Middlebury that day to watch a hockey game. I was able to chat with my Dad after the game and he gave me one of his big bear hugs and a great, infectious smile. Who knew at the time, how cherished that one little act would be? Or, how much our lives would change by 10:30 p.m. that very evening. I try to be thankful for seeing him, rather than being angry that he promised to come see our new house that week and he never would be able to keep that promise. It would be easy to dwell on the sadness of losing him. Instead, through the years, I have tried to focus on the wonderful pieces of his life he gave to us....the values, the memories, the love.
On this day, I took a moment to dig into my archives of newspaper clippings. Finally, 7 years later, I have scanned them and saved them in a format that will hopefully live forever. As hard as losing my father was, the tribute given to him in the days following his death - by family, friends, community and firefighters far and wide - is something that I remember so fondly. The love felt that day was immeasurable and unforgettable. The day in pictures.....
* Excuse the wacky photo placement on this page...I said I would try to post more often...I never said it would be pretty.
