What the Fire Ignited: Man to be admired
"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." I learned this from my dad. He grew up hard and extremely poor - lived in 1st government housing project in the US, even slept in a school bus with his brother (Uncle Steve) one winter. By the age of 9 he was working to support the family. He never complained "life's not fair"; he simply did what was required. When dad married my mother he committed to 1 wife for life. During her bipolar rants she left us multiple times without warning, for weeks and even months, but he was always there to welcome her home with open arms. She would throw dishes at the walls screaming and dad would simply ask "do you feel better now?" Although she gave up on the marriage when I was 4, dad hung in there the next 40 years and answered the phone every time she needed help. They're talking about remarrying. When I learned I would be competing at the IRONMAN World Championship I enrolled dad in a weight loss clinic to make him do something for himself...prepaid 6 months using his credit card. To celebrate losing 45 lbs and me racing Kona, he joined me in the Underpants Run. We crushed his biggest fear of being in his underwear in public. As 2018 ends, I want to honor my dad for his "why". Passionately pursue your WHY in 2019!
