Four years ago in March 2012 we had a surprise part for my Dad’s 50th birthday. A week later he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma grade 4 tumor and was given 6 months to live. Instead of worrying about himself my Dad was more concerned about setting things up to ensure everyone would be taken care of when he was gone. I was lucky enough to be graduating college the next month and was able to move home and be roommates with my Dad for next 3 years and assist him at beating cancer for almost 3.5 years.
Throughout the numerous hospital visits we made the most of the time traveling to California, Hawaii, Florida and Wildwood Crest on summer weekends. I think about my birthday weekend back in July 2015 at the beerfest watching my Dad make friend with half the people there. Five weeks later he was no longer with us. After the April 2012 surgery my Dad recovered and went through chemo, radiation and experimental treatment at University of Pennsylvania hospital. In January 2015 the tumor had returned and required a second surgery.
The outcome was not as good but my Dad still was back on his feet a month later and was able to enjoy his birthday in Florida with the Philly Phanatic and meet Cody Asche. I always had an appreciation for what he did for me growing up but these past 8 months I have an even greater appreciation for how great of a Dad, husband, uncle, business owner and person you were. My Dad was and will always be the greatest influential figure in my life, I’m proud to be his son and have had him for 26 years. My Dad beat the odds for a lot longer than most people are supposed to, now I want to continue the fight to find a cure. I have setup a team goal from his barber shop (Jim’s Holland Barber Shop) to raise at minimum $10,000 for the walk in October.
