Hero by Jackie Arnett

When I was growing up the word hospital was a foreign word an place to me. I grew up in a family of eleven, there were plenty of broken bones, sickness, and ailments of sorts, but my father always had a remedy for it. And somehow all eleven of us have made it out healthy an well, I would like to think it was because of the love and care my father gave. He was our life saver, he was all we needed to get through any trial or pain. Dad seemed to have all the answers that no doctor or teacher would ever have. My dad has always been great to me and my family, unconditionally loving every one of his children, it is only now that his health is being threatened that I am coming to appreciate the magnitude of this love, it infectiously makes me want to love harder and spend more time with my father.

Dad always went to bat for me. Any issue I was having in school, with friends, or my brothers, my dad was there to protect me. Not only did he keep me under his wing, my dad believed in me. There was nothing in my fathers eyes that I couldn’t accomplish. All growing up I dreamt of being a dancer. We never had enough money to send me to a studio for proper dance training, but dad made it possible for me to take one or two novice dance classes once a week. Just last year I started running track for the first time in my life. My dad was at every meet, he bought me my first track spikes, and would spend hours talking over strategy’s, an encouraging me to not give up. By all means I was not great in either dance or track years ago, but because of my dads endearing love an belief in me I now am on both the varsity track team and varsity dance line. Dad put his needs and struggles aside to help me over come my weaknesses. About two years ago I went through a miserable time, I guess it was a typical case of high school blues, but somehow I was unable to shake my un happiness out of my system. I only got worse and eventually fell into depression. My parents were confused on what to do with my condition, nonetheless they let my sister take me in to her home to see if it would better my circumstances. My dad, loving let go of me, knowing that it would be painful to lose his last daughter, but all along he kept my best interests in mind. He is the most giving man I know.


Within the past month my fathers health has gone down hill. For two years now dad has been a diabetic, but it is only now that he is being taken down by this disease. I have been in and out of the hospital within this past year more than I have ever in my lifetime. His at-home remedies will not cure his serious condition. To me my dad has been invincible up into this point. It never occurred to me that despite his worsening medical condition and old age, that my dads life was being threatened. Its like growing up in poverty but never realizing that your poor, I have been oblivious. It has been hard to come to terms with the fact that my heroic father is now fighting off various illnesses. It is hard to see him weak.


Though my dad is not as physically strong anymore, I have gained strength through watching him. Now that my dad cannot be there for me the same way he was for me in my child hood, I somehow feel it an obligation to now be my dads hero. I want to save my dad the same way he always rescued me. He truly has left an impression on my heart, and taught me how to love unconditionally. It is natural instinct for me to want to relieve my dad of his pains and reach out to help him. My only hope is that I can be such a caring and nurturing parent to my children as my dad was to me. In a sense I want to carry on the tradition.


My heart has grown immense amounts this past year. It has been traumatic to watch my dads health suffer, but in the long run he is only making me want to be a better daughter. I am so glad for my blissful child hood and adolescence, my dads weaknesses are now making me stronger and causing me to hold on tighter to my family. More than anything I want to be a hero to my dad, it is now my turn to lift him up.