Just imagine that one second you’re driving down the road noting the beauty of the day, and the next second you wake up being pushed in a gurney by frantic paramedics running through the hospital.Isn’t that an incredibly frightening thought? Well, this is unfortunately what happened to my father on that fateful day of May 21st, 2010. The engine of the car came up through the floor and completely crushed his foot. After this hell-of-a-day, our family’s lives were changed forever both for better and for worse. Ok, so we used to be a pretty well off working middle-class family. We always had a wall of presents under the Christmas tree and enough fireworks to light up the Palm Beachskies for the New Year. Since my father became critically injured, he wasn’t able to work, and with no work comes no income. Then again, with no work comes the newfound time I was able to spend with my incredibly busy father. I leaped upon that chance to spend time with him like a hungry cheetah pounces on an unsuspecting wildebeest.
Upon my father’s arrival from West Boca Medical Center, I assumed the role of caretaker; always checking on him, fluffing his special pillow, and bringing him his beloved black coffee. Anytime I was free, I would be just sitting with him listening to his captivating, and sometimes unbelievable tales of his childhood and adolescence. The things he got himself into – and out of – were just plain absurd. In my fathers 53 years of living, he has gotten more out of life than most 80 year olds have. He has such a zest and passion to be alive, that he even speaks with fire in his tone. In today’s world, it’s so refreshing to see such a person. Even through the incredible struggle that was occurring in his life, he just kept on being the mischievous, yet loving father and husband he is. At first, I’ll admit that I was a bit resentful of the accident due to the facts that we couldn’t travel anymore, and that we couldn’t really afford much. After taking care of my father, I realized that none of that was actually important. I mean, those things might make me happy for a short period of time, but they won’t give me the knowledge to learn and grow as a person like my father did. With help from my father, I learned that life is just about keeping your head up and staying positive. Times will always come that will hurt our pocket, or in this case the ability to walk. When those times inevitably come, take a page out of my father’s book and push through the struggle, and you will prevail. Experiencing times like this will truly make you a grateful, joyous person. Now whenever the 21st of May dawns upon me, I’ll give thanks for that day, for it allowed me to grow.
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