My Fathers Story

My father passed on to heaven on September 14, 2025 after just turning 91. He was one of the strongest people I know. He beat stomach cancer back in 1999 and was cancer free ever since. I got to witness his strength back then when he was sick for over a year before receiving his diagnoses. Sixty percent of his stomach was removed along with the tumor. He went through aggressive chemotherapy for 4 months and I remember having to take him back after a couple treatments from getting so sick after. I didn’t realize as much then what I realized this last 2 years of his life and that is the fight and determination he had was way stronger than I knew. He suffered from constant UTIs the last 4 years due to an enlarged prostate and progressed more and more as he aged and having a foley catheter. The last 2 years he fought every infection and was determined to not let it slow him down. I couldn’t even keep up at times. As I saw over the course of the last 2 years in caring for him, that his body was nearing the end of its course here on earth. The last 9 days of his life he gave us the greatest gift in showing us who he really was and is. I have found myself saying this to friends and loved ones and that is that in the last 9 days of his life he wasn’t frail, weak or even old. He was transitioning for 5 days and he was the strongest person in the room as we stayed gathered around him. His spirit and his role as a father and grandfather came through even through his last days. I got to have personal time with him for hours, days and nights trying to be sure he wouldn’t pass without him holding my hand. The night before he passed I told him I would be holding his hands as he left this world, as I was sure he held mine when I was born. I literally didn’t sleep but an hour at most at a time as I tried to listen for his breathing to change so much so that for the following 2 nights after he passed I found myself waking up at home thinking I could hear his breaths. The last 2 days his breathing became louder and as close as I slept to his hospital bed holding his hand, there were times I could literally feel his breath across my face. A few minutes before my dad passed I could tell that his breathing was now very different and somehow I just knew it was time. I got to hold his hand and his other hand on my forearm. I told him it was time to go, that we all loved him, to go receive his eternal reward. He opened his eyes mouthed I love you looked to the ceiling to his right smiled and released himself to His savior. His last breath in was soft, intentional and the most peaceful breath he took the whole time he was transitioning. I was still waiting for him to exhale as I had been watching him do the whole time and realized he was finally home. I had a close friend the week before tell me that she got to be with her father when he went home and that it was the greatest thing she had ever experienced, that she hoped I would get that same opportunity. She was so right. It was the greatest privilege, honor and gift to hold my fathers hand as he left this earth to return to his father and creator.
My life is forever changed in so many ways st