Speech About My Father

My name is Amanda. I am from Denver, Colorado. I am majoring in graphic design.

I would like to convey a message of hope and inspiration.  When my twin-sister and I were 9-months-old our mother took us from him. My father and step-mother had been looking for us two girls for 26 years; in Aug of 2010 they found us on facebook.

My whole life I yearned to know my father and on June 19, 2012,  I flew here to Alabama to meet my father and made the decision to move out here to spend more time with him and the rest of my new family.

The best day of my life was when I met my father. He instantly became my best friend. A yearning I felt my whole life had been filled and I felt loved by the man I always hoped loved me.

My father showed me what an amazing artist he was.

We shared in our love of history and music by visiting the 3614 Jackson Highway Studio (Muscle Shoals Sound Studio) where Cheer, The Rollings Stones, Willie Nelson and many others recorded and wrote music.

I was  so proud when I found out that my father was in the U.S. Coast Guard for 20 years.

On November 22, 2012 my life would change forever. I was at work when I got a call, my father was rushed to the hospital. On my way there my little sister who I met this summer was on the other line, it was 3 am, I was 10 min away from the hospital when she said, “Amanda, dad’s gone.”

Many people have told me how sad they think it is that I only had six months with my dad but I think just the opposite. I am so lucky that I was able to pick up and move, know my father , fall in love with my father and say good-bye to my father. I got to be a daddy’s girl, if not just for a few brief moments.

I was able to spend a full day with my father just a few days before he died. I told him how much I loved him and how proud of him I was.  My father told me that our relationship had brought him peace in his life he had never felt.

After my fathers funeral my step-mom told me that my dad said if anything ever happened to him he wanted her to help put me through school because he knew how badly I wanted to finish my education. I hope my father’s legacy can live on through me as I get my education, grow in my independence, create as an artist, discover new music and learn to love myself more.