“Val wake up”, i heard daddy excited voice. Its 12 at night and my cousin is over as we had a night full of Polly pockets and Bratz all night long. Our heads pop up quick, “A trip to Wally world girls;e and your mama is craving a chocolate milk and chocolate donut.” said daddy. “Yes!”, we said and ran out the door in our PJs! Little did i know these trips for chocolate milk and donuts would be a tradition til this day that my husband and I would still carry on this legacy for our children!
We got at Walmart that night and I found new Polly pockets and Bratz i wanted, and daddy smiled and said okay lacy your turn to get what you want. My daddy was nowhere near rich, but he showed love to anyone and everyone that he had around, and that is why everyone loved to be around their Uncle Frank. My daddy had a hard life, he was a Veteran, He went through many things in life before i was alive and after i was born.
He was drafted in the military pretty much as a test dummy back in those days. They had those soldiers doing everything to see how it affected them, to the point my daddy could hardly speaker or even spell his name. The military was messed up, but it made my daddy who he is and who he was. Thats why im writing this in his honor to show the type of person and father he was. After the military he became an alcoholic, this was way before i was born. I have a older brother and sister that got to see that lifestyle way more than I did. i remember perfectly i lived my life with daddy drinking during the weekends and listening to CCR all night, i loved hanging. Then i got in 5th grade, my sister picked me up, my daddy had a heart attack and was in the hospital. Thank God, that time they was able to do easier stints from his leg. He never touched a beer again! When i say my daddy was one of the strongest men i ever knew, you will understand. Anyways, My daddy owned livestock, fixed any lawnmower and weedeater messed up. He was his own jack of all trades
My daddy was the type to give you the clothes off his back. A few years passed, and he had no choice but open-heart surgery, he was so scared, but he wouldn’t show it. He went through it, and he came home alive, still here to have. By this time we had our daughter she was such a pawpaw’s girl. But 2 years later we found out he had cancer, not letting the pain show as much as he could while he rolled around in the floor with 2.5-year-old paisley. His body started shutting down more after he got brain radiation because the cancer was everywhere from having it so long. It started at the top of his lungs, to his blood, bones and brain. His biggest fear was forgetting all he knew and his kids seeing it. He fought so hard, 6 weeks after his first radiation to his Brain, he went to be with Jesus. But before all that he got baptized and gave his life to God. God blessed him with a grandson on his birthday the same year, and he has James in his name after this man and his legacy! (plan to make a part 2 with more memories)
© Valerie Hendrix 2023-09-26