Happy Birthday to THE BEST DAD EVER! I have so many great memories with my Dad... he was always up for doing everything. I think each birthday for my Dad & Mom I'll share a special memory. One of many things I love and appreciate about my Dad is that he never missed a single one of my baseball games! He came to everyone of them! This was during the 70's & 80's when he was struggling with drinking so he often went straight from work to Ted's Place on Starkey Road and would stay there drinking till 1am or 2am then get up for work every morning at 6am and go work hard all day long. I know this may sound like a backhanded compliment, but it's not. It's actually a very sincere heartfelt compliment to my Dad because you have no idea how much it meant to me to be playing in the outfield and look over to the grass parking area at Osceola High School and see my Dad sitting in the driver seat of his van watching the entire game. That meant the world to me, especially since he chose my game over going straight to the bar. When you're a kid and a teenager you long for family stability, and even in the midst of the struggle I could see the heart of my Dad choosing his son over his addiction. Man, that filled my heart up so much. Of course, my Mom was at every game too, but they both came straight from work so they arrived in separate vehicles. Their support, love, & belief in me has always been one of my most cherished blessings in life. Dad was there when I hit my first (and only) home run! That meant everything to me that day!! I got to keep the ball that I hit, and a few days later Dad surprised me with a customized trophy baseball holder with the engraving: "First Home Run". Man, that really touched my heart. If you know my Dad then you know he is the best gift giver, and loves to serve others. He has the biggest heart!! Thank you Dad for never missing any of my baseball games... that simple act of consistent love profoundly impacted my life. I'm so proud of you and all that you overcame! And to any of my friends who are fathers, and you struggle with some type of addiction, let my Dad serve as an example of someone who never gave up and someone who always showed up... you may not be perfect and you may struggle with things that "drive you to drink", but you can still have an awesome impact on your kids by consistently being there for things that are important to them as you work on getting better & overcoming. A little bit of consistency and stability goes a long way in young hearts. Thank you Dad for never giving up, and setting an example of generosity as you gave of your time, your attention, and your thoughtfulness. I love you! I respect you!And I miss you! Jerry Garner = LIVE TO GIVE!!
.
