My father, my friend, my hero

My Hero

Every kid has a hero when they are growing up.  Someone that they look up to and hope to someday be like.  People like superheroes and world leaders.  My hero is someone a lot better than any superhero.  My hero is my dad.  He is the one person that I hope to one day be half the man that he is.  Everything that I do in my life is an attempt to become more and more like him.  Following in his footsteps is not an easy task, but I am always up for a challenge.

Ever since I was a little boy, I have looked up to my dad for advice and help with getting through life.  He has always been there for me.  My dad is not only a parental figure to me; he is also my best friend.  Not many 19 year old kids are going to say that about either of their parents.  Me and my dad do a lot together.  Everything from fishing to just driving around in the Miata to kill some time during the summer days.  Or going on the “guy trip” ever summer up to the White Mountains.  The guy trip is a weeklong fishing trip with me and my dad.  That week is one of the best weeks throughout the entire summer.  I would not trade the time I have with my dad for anything on this earth.  The time that we spend together is time that I will always remember and cherish till the day I die.  Everything that I do in my life is to try to make my family proud of me, but I always have my dad in the back of my head.  I am always trying to make him proud, and I believe so far I have done a pretty good job.

My dad has been a firefighter for longer than I have been on this earth.  It takes a real man to do what he does on a day to day basis.  It is a job that not just anyone can do.  It takes pride and courage to do what these guys do every day.  Someday I hope to become I a firefighter just like him and carry on the O’Brien name within the fire service.  It is great to have my dad around when I get from school and have a question about something I had learned in school that day.  When I come to the fire service I don’t think there is anything that this man doesn’t know.

Some of my earliest memories of my dad are my uncle herb and my dad working on lawnmowers together in herbs shed.  It seemed like he was always down there when I was a kid.  I remember when mom would ask if I wanted to go see dad, my answer was always yes.  The first time my dad asked me if I wanted to come down and help herb and him, I was blown away.  I was so excited to finally be able to hang out with two of the greatest men on this planet.  Some of my greatest memories are spent with herb and my dad.  I would do anything to have herb back in my life today, and I’m positive my dad would say the same thing.He was a great man that not only helped my dad get through life, also guided me sometime.  The memories that my dad and I have with herb are memories that we will remember forever.

Without my dad in my life I don’t know where I would be today.  He has guided me and turned me into the man that I am today.  I am doing everything in my power to make him proud of what I am doing with my life, and someday I hope to be in the position he is in now.  Words cannot describe how much he means to me and how grateful I am for everything that he has done for me.  My dad is the greatest man to walk this earth, and my hero.