When I was a few weeks old, my parents were driving home from a visit with my Grandmother. My Dad usually drives every where but luckily this time he took her up on her offer and rode shot gun. They got on the freeway, and he decided to take one last look at me before taking a nap. He pulled down the visor to see me slumped over the tray of my car seat my skin a shade of purple. He had my Mom exit the freeway, and they pulled into the gas station. My Mom pounded on the door, but this was before the age of 24-hour stations and the man inside calmly waved her off. My Dad leaped into action pulled me out of the car placed me his lap instinctively starting CPR. The thoughts that were going through his mind may have paralyzed another Father: “My first born is dying!”, “Why won’t anyone help us?”, “If this doesn’t work, my newborn may pass away in my arms.” The gas station owner finally got up, and after seeing the situation through the window allowed my Mother to call 911. As the ambulance pulled into the parking lot, I drew a breath and color began to return to my face.
Once at a carnival my Younger sister was riding a steep slide. As kids we weighed nothing; we were scrawny little things. She started her descent, and our Dad recognized something wasn’t right. My Sister looked frightened and was picking up too much air and too much speed. He knew she wouldn’t slow down and the results would be disastrous. He moved to the side of the slide, and I watched in amazement as he calculated when she would lift off and snatched her out of the air. She very narrowly escaped a brutal tumble that could have been fatal for a child her size.
My Father is a Firefighter Paramedic. He saves lives. He’s been the subject of a Movie and was played by Michael Beech and has even received commendations for saving people from a burning building on his day off. ONE HIS DAY OFF! He was driving, saw a fire, realized the first responders on duty may not make it in time. With no gear or any form of protection other faith and knowledge of his craft, he busted down doors and pulled multiple people from the building before it was fully engulfed in flames.
My Father has literally saved my Sister and my’s life, as well as well, the lives of countless other’s and continues to do so in stride and with no regard for accolades or recognition.
Mind you, my Father, like any other Man is not with out flaws, but I believe that’s what makes him all the more a legendary figure in my eyes. Forget Marvel and DC the real hero birthed me.
I Love you, Daddy.
This post was inspired by Treana Allen and her lovely wife Lorelei Estrada who posted this video and got me thinking about my blessings.
Lost Below The Fold 