"My dad was my hero and my inspiration."

He was someone that I could talk to and he knew me better then anyone else. I am an only child and of course as ‘daddy’s little girl’ I was spoiled. But my dad always knew I appreciated and respected him and the hard work he did to get where he was. My dad was a well respected man within the community and really fits the Billy Joel song ‘Only the Good Die Young’.

On September 26th my dad was diagnosed with cancer – the secondary being is his spine and the primary unknown. We had just moved house and I thought his complaints of a sore back were just from heavy lifting. After that it moved quickly. The cancer was pushing on his spinal cord making his legs weaker and weaker. He spent the next nine out of ten weeks in hospital.

"My eighteenth birthday was celebrated in the hospital lunchroom with my dad and my closest family around me."

It was the best birthday present I had - being able to see my dad sitting up and celebrating with me on his way to recovery. Four days later my mum called me as she had just had a meeting with the hospital. She told me he wasn’t going to make it to the weekend. I felt like I had been lied to, that it was just a sick joke everyone was playing on me. The day before I thought my dad was coming home for Christmas.

All my family spent the whole weekend with my dad. He was unconscious the whole time, coming to for a few minutes at a time. He passed away at 2.45pm on the Sunday surrounded by family; he was out of pain and in a better place.

"When he stopped breathing I was in shock."

I was numb. Torn between emotions. I felt happy to know he was out of pain and for the good time I had had with my dad. Yet I was devastated that he was gone so early in everyone’s life, and I was angry that I had to lose my dad.

I am a very strong believer that everything happens for a reason, but this has made me doubt my own philosophy. Ever since the 7th of December I have tried to stay strong. I can see my dad watching over me telling me that everything is okay and that there is no need to cry because it wouldn’t change the outcome.

"He brought me up as a strong girl, that’s for sure."

Everyday I miss my dad – that will never change. I know he is still close by and I am just thankful that I had him there with me growing up, and I could make him proud. I know I am still my daddy’s little girl.