You never grow up thinking you'll live the perfect life, but you also never grow up thinking something terrible will happen to you.

I grew up with a picture-perfect childhood. Born with a perfectly healthy mom and dad. Living in a big house with amazing siblings. I was the ultimate daddy's girl. Always by his side, being his buddy.

My father was my hero, I looked up to him. Everything he was, I wanted to be. He always showed favoritism towards my sister and me, and was always on our side. I had the best childhood and experienced many amazing things. I never thought anything could happen. I thought I was "living the life" and that nothing could go wrong.

But this all changed.

In sixth grade, my mom came up to me and told me my father was sick with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, which was later diagnosed as Lewy Body Dementia.

When I heard that, my heart dropped. My perfect world turned right around. The first question I asked was "is he going to die?" And her response was "no, he's fine now."

Little did I know, I didn't have as much time as I thought. I had to make every moment count with him, and that's what I did. I spent every second that I could with my father. Although sometimes I took him for granted and got annoyed at the side effects of his disease. I tried my hardest.

A short 4 years later when I was a freshman in high school, things were at a rapid decline. The disease is a long process, but in the end, it goes quickly. We were all out of place the last two weeks with him.

My aunt, who is a nurse, came down to help care for him since we weren't really sure how to do so. My two sisters and I were relocated to our den on air mattresses for weeks so that my aunt and mom could stay up with him. My mom was in emotional distress about her husband dying and her having to plan a funeral through her grief.

Everyone was out of it.

I remember exactly when it happened, too.

It was Friday, May 3, 2014 around 12:30 a.m., and I was sleeping in my den on an air mattress. When my sister woke me up in a panic saying "we have to see dad." I wasn't quite sure what was going on because I was half asleep. I just thought oh no worries we just have to see him or something, I didn't think much of it. I got upstairs and everyone was crying and saying "do you want to say goodbye?"

That's when I thought, "he's not dead, we're just saying goodbye, I'm fine." It wasn't until my aunt was hugging me and saying how good of a man he was that I realized what had happened.

My dad was dead. He was gone.

But, it didn't phase me at this point, I was numb to the thought of it.

The next couple of hours were long. We were all sitting around the house in tears. I sat in his room by him as they announced "time of death: 12:37 a.m."

Many people showed up that night. The police, the nurse, and finally the funeral home people to take him out of the house. I'll never forget the moment I watched him get taken from his bedroom, it's a picture frozen in my memory.

It wasn't until 3:00 a.m. when everyone finally went to sleep, except me. I texted all my friends and let everyone know the news, but no one answered. It was not until my elementary school best friend called me that I felt relief; there was finally someone to whom I could express my sadness. We were on the phone for a good couple of hours talking. I finally went to bed around 5:00 a.m.

I woke up around 9:30 the next morning. The amount of texts and calls I received of people expressing their condolences was insane. It made me realize how much I love my small town. Everybody has each other's back, and people support you no matter what.

While I was sitting in the church during the funeral, I finally realized my surroundings. I'm 14 years old and I'm sitting here at my father's funeral. It all hit me at one moment—I was swept away with tears. I couldn't stop the sadness I felt, I was heartbroken.

Once all of the hubbub of the funeral and reception was over, it was silent, too silent.

The house was quiet.

You could feel the major shift in the household. No more male figure in the house, just the rest of us women.

No more of my father going around the house asking "when are we going home?" No more fighting with him about what was right and wrong. And no more of his footsteps wandering around the house in confusion. It was all over. My hero was gone.

Since his passing everything is different. I find myself hating holidays and even family meals. He was the one who started the conversations at dinner and made everyone laugh.

Now all of our meals are silent, and his seat is empty.

Holidays are depressing.

I can't share my happiness with my family without him being there. He always sat at the head of the table for Thanksgiving; he is no longer in that seat.

Going to places as a "family" is miserable. The family isn't complete to me without my father following behind us, asking irritating questions.

Everything has changed.

I miss him every day. I think about him every single second. It doesn't ever get easier knowing that I don't have a father. It is the hardest thing I face on a daily basis.

I find myself thinking about him non-stop, and I start imagining what my life would be like if he was here. It saddens me to know that he won't see me graduate high school or college and most importantly, he won't be able to walk me down the aisle at my wedding.

I wish he were here, or that I could talk to him, but that's not the case. I loved him tremendously, but god loved him more.

Through all this sadness, I have become more content with life. I'm more easy going, and open to opportunities. I realize now that life is short and everything is temporary.

I also love unconditionally and can find the good in anybody. I also find myself having a happier outlook on life. Things can change, and so can people. You have to live in the moment and live life to the fullest. I also see that I appreciate the little things.

If there is anything that I could wish upon other people it is to live a joyful life.

Don't hold grudges.

Don't live with regrets.

Go for what you want.

Make new friends.

Laugh always.

Appreciate the little things.

And most of all enjoy the things you have, because things can change at any moment.