A Tribute to My Dad, My Hero

 I am very fortunate to have had such a wonderful father. He gave me the best of himself. He taught me to be respectful, honest, hardworking, loving, gentle, strong, vulnerable, adventurous, brave and kind. He taught me how to laugh, how to cry, how to laugh until I cried. He was wild at heart, like his father before him.

Of all the gifts and things cherished my Dad shared with me, one that has been an anchor in my life has been a love for music. I remember countless Sunday mornings before church, walking into the kitchen, fearing what creation my Dad was making for breakfast that morning. Whether it was bright green pancakes or something covered in cereal (which should not be covered in cereal), he always had his favorite music playing on the CD player. Oftentimes, this would be the film score to one of his favorite movies; powerful, emotional, storytelling music. His favorites included The Last of the Mohicans, Braveheart, and Rob Roy - epic stories of valor. Or it may be a compilation of the best of Bach or John Williams. These songs were etched in my mind from a young age and, even today, I could get lost in any number of film scores.

On January 1, 2022, my Dad was admitted to the hospital for complications from Covid. While each day had its highs and lows, he quickly began to lose strength and his ability to breath. On January 6, 2022, I had to say goodbye to my Dad over FaceTime before he was intubated. I am so thankful that I had the chance - many people do not get such an opportunity. It was too quick though; time was of the essence and he needed to talk to my other siblings as well. I said what I needed to say in that moment, but there is always so much more we want to tell those we love. 

Starting the next day, I began to record music on the piano again. I used to record often, but took a hiatus from recording - life gets busy. But I never stopped playing and would play for my Dad when he'd visit our home or we'd visit his as he enjoyed sitting and listening. Not knowing what else I could do from afar, I recorded a piece for my family to share some peace. I am so grateful for technology - my Mom and the nurses were able to then share this music with my Dad, and even though he was in a coma, he would react. And so, from that day until January 31, 2022, I recorded music each night for my Mom to share with my Dad while she would FaceTime with him and share our love with him. It meant the world to me to be able to speak with him, even when he could not speak back.

My Dad passed away on January 31, 2022, after fighting with all his strength for a month. I miss him dearly; there is not a minute that goes by that he's not on my mind. As tribute to my Dad, I am sharing a few of the songs I wrote for him as they speak from my soul, more than my words ever could. 

These are in order of recorded date - you will see some days were hopeful, other days and nights were very hard. While the last song, Welcome Home, Good and Faithful Son, breaks my heart as I recorded it shortly after his passing, it gives me hope as I picture what sits beyond this life and when we will be reunited with those we love.

Thank you for taking the time to honor my Dad, and thank you for the love and support.

With Gratitude,

Roman