You are my Father I will not look at this as a goodbye. I will not allow the sorrow of this event to destroy me. I will cherish what you have taught me through the years and carry that with me. You have not died. You will forever be a part of my life, and through me you will forever be a part of my children's lives as well. We are your legacy. I am proud to have had you in our lives. I hope they have gained your charm, your good nature, and your charisma. I know with your influence they will grow to become good people. You have raised me to the best of your ability and for that I want to thank you. Thank you for being kind, thank you for being stronger than you know, and most of all, thank you for loving us. You have inspired me to live life to the fullest, and never back down. I will not be taken over by the anger and frustration of your absence. Instead, I will remember the days when I was young and you were my hero. I will remember the nights we sat up to watch the old-time movies and you would go to sleep and tell me you were "just resting your eyes." I will remember going to the movies and taking sandwiches, nectarines, grapes and everthing we needed so we wouldn't have to spend money at the concession stand. I will remember the time we went to the bakery and the lady behind the counter said I looked just like you and you just looked at me and smiled. More than anything, I will remember how you loved my mother and how much that has meant to me. You were one of a kind, dad. I will see you in my dreams. There you will forever be healthy and strong. In time, I hope to embrace your freedom, freedom from the pain, and freedom from the weight of your illness. I will be sad, but I will face this with the same courage you did, because I am you, and you are my Father. Always your daughter, Valerie