𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐀𝐃: 𝐓𝗵𝗲 𝐅𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝐌𝗮𝗻 𝐈 𝐄𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝐊𝗻𝗲𝘄

I wanted to take a moment to share some cherished memories of my father, who was undoubtedly the funniest man I have ever known. His humor was genuine, and his love for practical jokes was unmatched. If there was laughter in a room, it was often because my dad had everyone captivated with a hilarious story. Despite passing away 24 years ago after being diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), which quickly drained him of life, his sharp wit and dry humor remained intact until the end.

My dad was 30 years old when I was born, and he had a somewhat rocky relationship with my mother, who was 24 at the time. They argued occasionally, but it was never brutal, and my dad wouldn't hurt a fly. The arguments were mostly due to his occasional drinking. In your own narrative, you might consider him an alcoholic, but I would say those weren't his proudest moments.

Despite his flaws, my father was incredibly genuine and generous. He would buy you coffee or a meal if he felt you couldn't afford it, and he would literally purchase from you if he thought you needed the money more than he did. He had a big heart, giving away what little he had to help others. I remember being upset when he gave away his expensive leather jacket to someone on the streets who needed it more, as it meant I was no longer warm, and the jacket smelled so nice that I didn't want to take it off.

I am not my dad's only child; I am the third and last born after two older siblings, a half-sister, and a brother. I know he wasn't perfect—nobody is—but what matters is that he tried his best and showed great responsibility. I am honored to call him my father. He was wacky and playful, and I was often the target of his jokes and pranks, which I loved. The element of surprise was always the big payoff.

No matter how drunk he got on some paydays, whenever he came to see me, he would yell from outside the house as he was leaving, "that he loved me more than a monkey in love with his banana, more than a dog with his hard unchewy bone, and more than a clown in love with his tricks." I'll never, ever forget that. I laughed every time he did it. I mean, I was five years old.

When it comes to people who have greatly influenced and shaped my personality in the best way, besides my grandparents, my father is at the top of the list. Seriously, my dad was the funniest guy I know. He didn't know the first thing about healthy parenting or healthy relationships in general. Of course, as generational trauma and neglect would have it, from what I know, he didn't have the nicest or healthiest childhood himself. But there was something in him that told him to keep showing up.

Until he didn't. A month went by without him coming by to check up on me, to goof around, and pick on my mother. My grandparents loved him to bits, and when something was wrong, I saw it on their faces. Gramps sat me down and told me what was going on. As we went to visit him in the hospital, he seemed out of life and barely hanging on. His final months were not easy. Being diagnosed with TB during those years meant you wouldn't live long. Doctors didn't know how to treat it. It presented challenges as TB took over his body. He still made people laugh, he was still silly and happy, and that's how I will remember him. May his soul rest in peace.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my father. He was an extraordinary man, and his memory continues to bring joy to my heart.