It was a typical day after basketball practice. I was tired, sweaty and ready to scarf down some food. As I’m walking out of the locker room I glance down at my phone. One missed call from Mom, a text from Mom, and a text from my older sister, Ashton. I opened up my phone to see what the texts were about, both of them saying that I was having dinner at Aston’s house. I thought alright, a little weird but whatever. Now the next order of business: call Mom back. The phone rings and she answers. “Hey Mom” I said, “So, do I need to come by the house and pick you up or are we all meeting over to eat at Ashton’s?” Pretty valid question I thought. I mean no need to take more cars than we need. Mom replies, “just drive over there.” I reply, “I’ll just see you over there then?” There was a long pause on the other end of the phone, Mom was choosing her next words carefully and I didn’t know why. “Mom, what’s going on?” I ask. “Your dad’s in the hospital.”

Those five words had an impact. It was like the world started to spin faster and I was getting dizzy. I had been fortunate enough to never have any close relatives or friends be taken to the hospital for a serious injury or illness. When I heard that my dad was in the hospital I didn’t know what to do or think. This entire scenario was something new to me. There was a million thoughts and feelings that I was thinking and experiencing. I was wondering what went wrong, why he was in the hospital and if I was going to lose my dad. I felt confused, sad and most of all scared. I was scared that I wouldn’t have someone to sing to Bohemian Rap City with on those long car rides or someone to make pancakes for us on Saturday morning. Who was going to be the one I talked basketball with? Who was going to share cream sodas with me?

My dad can’t be in the hospital. He just can’t. This was a joke, pretty soon the cameras were going to come out and I was going to have a good laugh. I mean sure, Dad had been feeling under the weather the past few weeks but it was just allergies, right?

Here I was, in my high school parking lot getting this news. I was almost to my car and I didn’t know what had just happened or if the words I heard were right. I just stood there. “What?” was all I could manage to say. “Your dad is in the hospital for his heart. He has an infection, a bad heart valve and is going to need open heart surgery,” said Mom. I just listened, I didn’t know what else to do. My eyes started to fill with tears. “I really didn’t want to tell you like this, I was going to have Ashton tell you.” I did the only thing I could think of at that moment, I took a deep breath and told my mom I loved her, my dad and that I was driving to Ashton’s for dinner.

That whole day was a blur. I remember Ashton getting ready to tell me the news but I already knew it. I remember eating somewhat of a dinner and getting asked if I was OK a lot. I was fine, just in shock. It was weird while Dad was in the hospital. Mom tried her best to be in two places at once but she needed to stay with Dad. Ashton really stepped up as someone my younger sister, Emma, and I could look up to. She might not have been emotionally strong but she gave off that vibe for my sister and I. I also tried to step it up for Emma, she takes things pretty hard and I didn't want her to go under any duress. Even though we tried to keep it together, Mom was our rock. She answered all our questions and always was there to reassure us and tell us everything was going to be okay. She spent countless nights on that uncomfortable hospital couch and many hours driving back and forth. She never stopped and always kept pushing forward, taking one obstacle after another.

Timing has a funny way of showing you how very lucky and blessed you are. If my dad had gone to the doctors even a week later than what he did, he wouldn’t be here right now. I try not to think about that because he did make it to the doctors. I know of too many people that have lost loved ones and I know there are others that have it way worse than I do. We were blessed.

After my dad’s surgery I had never seen him look so weak. He put on a smile and had his same dad jokes or sarcastic comments but he was hurting. My dad has always, to me at least, been the strongest person ever. You know how it is when you’re little, your dad is strong and practically superman but then life intervenes and shows you even the toughest and strongest of the bunch can struggle. Dad kept a positive attitude through his pre and post surgery. He was there to be strong for my mom when she had a melt down, which I never saw but everyone has melt downs. It brought us closer.

All in all, we made it. Dad survived his open heart surgery and came home about a week later. He did have surgery on my 18th birthday but it made it a memorable day. I still have my basketball buddy and someone to tell me how awesome root beer floats are. In that moment when I learned Dad was in the hospital, it felt like the world was going to stop. It’s in those moments that we realize family is something that can never be replaced and should not be taken for granted. It’s during those moments you grow closer to those around you and find out how many people are there to help. You find inner strength that you didn't know was there and your real character is revealed. There’s a lot of bad things that happen to each and every person but it's how we react to the bad that makes us stronger.