12/15/2025
Last Sunday, I got a call saying my dad had a serious infection and might not make it through the night.
Earlier this year, he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. It is the fifth type of cancer he has faced since 2000, but this one is different. It will not go into remission. The last six months have taken a toll on his body, and last Sunday I had to prepare myself to say goodbye.
I have always been close with my dad. Our relationship was built through years of laughter, fun, and hard, honest conversations. He is the person I call when I am struggling. He tells me what he thinks, even when it is different from what I want to hear, and then trusts me to make my own choices. When I needed help around the house, he never just did it for me. He worked alongside me, teaching me how to tile a floor or fix something that was broken.
Doctors told us he had days to weeks to live. And then something shifted. As he started feeling better, he decided to fight again and live his life fully. We are making memories once more. Golfing with his grandkids. Playing cribbage. Dancing in the kitchen. Going out for live music. I have had the gift of helping him around the house and simply being present with him.
This experience has reminded me how much life is built around connection. It is easy to get caught up in responsibilities, productivity, and doing what we think we should do, especially in business and leadership. But when life slows you down, it becomes clear that connection is not extra. It is everything.
Connection is not separate from success. It is the foundation of it.
Weeks like this remind me that tomorrow is not guaranteed. My dad is doing well right now, and I am soaking up every extra moment and memory I can.
I want to gently encourage you to think about the people in your life, personally and professionally. Who matters to you? And how can you reach out today to let them know they truly matter?