My Father is My Superman

Sundays for my family were always and are still one of our favorite days of the week. As a matter of fact, my mother’s middle name is Sunday because she was born on that day. I was in my room, probably playing some game on my iPad as I lay in bed still wearing pajamas. My twin brother and I both shared a room. Neither of us had a care in the world. Luckily for us, the only concern we may have had on this particular Sunday was whether to watch Spongebob or Tom and Jerry.

As nine year olds, we always had something planned for the day, but today was different—everything about today was different. Little did we know, our father had just passed away and we were just about to receive the news.

In 2007 my father was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, (otherwise known as M.S.) As his disease progressed, we all knew that things even as simple as walking the dog or getting mail from the mailbox would be a challenge for him.

My dad was the kind of man that would surprise his wife and children with great gifts, jokes, advice, hugs and kisses, etc. He was like a teddy bear, everyone wanted to be around him and wanted to see what he was up too. My dad and I were very close and I knew a lot about him but nothing about his disease. In the eyes of a nine year old, I viewed my father as superman.

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He was a big good-looking guy who shared a striking resemblance to Clark Kent. Multiple Sclerosis was my father’s kryptonite.

Days, weeks, months, and even years had passed by but his disease had only gotten worse. My parents had tried so many different treatments for this disease it had seemed like they might never find one. Through all this time and money spent, a cure had not been found and the man my nine year old self had thought was indestructible, was now proving to be only human after all. My dad was now having trouble at work getting around, getting into his car, maintaining relationships with others, and even completing the simplest of tasks that you and I take care of every single day of our lives. Still, even through all of this hardship, he worried about others. He put the people he loved before him and showed me that with all of the hardship that you must never let the pain and suffering define who you are. He may have not been able to walk or move around like most other dads, but what he could do was teach me to be a loving and caring person.

I started to see my dad in a new light. He was now even weaker than he had been before. My brother and I had gone to visit our dad in Florida where he was staying with his parents. The last day of the trip is the one day that I will never forget. My dad came out of his room in his scooter smiling. He was always smiling even through the pain. The reason why I will never forget this day is because I thought something to myself when looking at him. How could he possibly be smiling I thought, he’s strapped to his scooter, can’t walk, and can only make business calls. Why is he smiling? I now realize he was smiling because he had my brother and I there with him. I believe he loved my family with such unconditional love that it overtook his disease, but this could only last for so long. Two weeks after this trip he was gone. My mom came into me and my brother’s room and gave us the news. In March of 2013 on a Sunday, my superman was gone.

I learned that I can live on just as my dad did with his disease. M.S. may have won the battle, but my dad won the war. He taught me to always remain positive and fight until you can fight no longer. He taught me to care for and treat others how you would want to be treated and that if you are in pain that it won’t be able to define who you are unless you let it. I am now able to live my life knowing that I’m going to live the way I deserve too and that if something happens to me, to not let whatever that is run my life.

My dad is still my Superman today. I know that my dad is still with me every day and that he is watching over me. I will live by his example and prove to myself that I can be a good person in every aspect of my life. Someday I hope that I may be able to teach my kids to live their lives to the fullest just like my dad taught me when he was with me. My dad was a man of courage who I will love and miss always.