“Don’t watch the game tonight, daddy, they’ll lose,” was a common phrase heard around my house during football season. A family joke which stemmed from years of bad luck my father seemed to bring his favorite team. My mother, brother, sister, and me would always recommend that my father run errands, do yard work, or anything other than watch the game, for him watching it only meant they would lose. At least if he did not watch it, they had a better chance of winning.
On July 22, 10 months ago, my family’s lives traumatically changed. I woke up at 12:15 that morning to find my father lying lifeless on the floor and my mother trying franticly to revive him. The paramedics arrived and forced my mother, sister, and me to leave the room. What felt like hours were only minutes before he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. Following only seconds behind, we arrived at the hospital to hear the horrifying news that my father, at the age of 47, passed away from a heart attack.
The life changing events I witnessed that morning and experiences I have had since have led me to believe in the ability of my father to show me life is still worth living. The ability to show me everything will be okay. The ability to fill my heart with comfort. The ability to have faith in other events that take place following his death. I believe my father has the ability to continue speaking to me although he is physically gone
My father continues to influence my family’s lives although he is no longer here. Recall the bad luck he brought his favorite football team every time he watched them play a game. On February 4, 2008 my father’s team, the NY Giants, the underdogs, prevailed and won Superbowl XLII. Even with my father gone, his luck remained the same. He did not watch them and they won.
Some would say the Giants winning the Superbowl was just pure luck or a crazy coincidence. I don’t believe so. I believe my daddy spoke to me that night. As the Giants carried the trophy home my daddy said to me, “See sweetie. Everything is going to be okay.” Now that my Dad is not physically here to show me everything will to be okay, his spirit and love will. He continues to show me that good things in life will happen and he will be there every step of the way. The Giants not only won that day, my father spoke to me. He gave me hope.
Not only was the Superbowl a way for my father to talk with me, but other events have occurred since his death that allow me to believe he will continue to speak to me. The morning after my father passed, my sister discovered she was pregnant. Saddened by the idea that my father would never meet his grandbaby, I was comforted to know the day my father left this world another life was brought in. On March 25, 2008 my sister delivered a beautiful baby boy. His name is Richard Eli, Richard after my father and Eli after Eli Manning, quarter back of the NY Giants.
While it has not even been a year since my father’s passing, and a tough road still lies ahead, I am comforted to know that his spirit lives on through his loved ones left behind. His beautiful baby grandson has been given the opportunity to follow in his footsteps and teach me the importance of my family. I believe my father has spoken to me and will continue to do so. He will show my family and me good things in life will still happen and life is still worth living.