06/16/2025
This Father's Day is a unique one for me. As of last month, officially been on this earth longer without a father than with him. Hard to put nearly 15 years worth of missed memories and moments into words or a post but it's been on my mind a ton this week.
The absence of a father really does make for a unique come up for a young man. Losing him at 14-15 years old was in many ways the hardest time for me to lose him. Now being almost 30, I can barely imagine what life would be like... with him. I remember him so well but the details have surely faded. I know the scent of his cologne but now it is much harder to hear the tone of his voice in my head. He's missed all the ups and downs and lefts and rights of my life. No advice, no words of encouragement, no kick in the ass when I was being an idiot, and no big life lessons or stories from his wilder years.
The absence of a father fu***ng hurts. The void can be most present on even the happiest of days and it continually sneaks up on you over the years.
But the void of your father opens the door for other amazing men and fathers to help fill that hole. I am so thankful to the numerous men, uncles, dads, coaches, teachers, and mentors that have helped mold me into the man that I am today. I started writing out and listing names but these men know who they are. I am a product of my father just as much as I am a product of these men. Being a father extends far beyond your own child and I hope that men and fathers everywhere continue to positively impact the young men that may not have a father at home. I hope we can hold ourselves to a higher standard as men and have the greatest of impacts in even the smallest of moments.
To all of the men that have made me and all of the young men out there with our fathers, this one's for you! Happy Father's Day fellas!
