It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since you left this mortal realm. I still think of you often and miss you terribly. You were a great dad and inspired me to always follow my heart, to leave it cleaner than I found it, and to just be an all-around good person. I hope I’ve made you proud.

Here’s one of my favourite photos.

This was the first game I ever officiated. My brother and I would occasionally serve as linesmen when he was refereeing. It looked liked a lot of fun. I wanted to try it too. You had to be 12 years old to officiate soccer games in our local league. And you needed to take a training course and get certified. I was only 11 but my dad told me to tell them I was 12. I did. I studied and passed the test easily. I was very proud to wear the uniform and badge. This was a very proud moment for me.

I remember at one point in the game, an angry parent confronted my dad. He expected him to step in but all he did was point towards me and say that I was the referee. It was awesome!

My dad always believed in me. He let me make mistakes, like I did a few times in this first game, but I learned and improved. And I will always be thankful for that.

Here’s a radio show I made in tribute to him.

My dad passed away early in the morning on Halloween back in 2013. My brother and I were at his deathbed when a nurse came in to confirm that he had passed away. She was apologetic for having to take his vitals when it was clear that he was gone. As she went about her duties, I had to make a joke. “This is the point where he sits up and says, ‘Happy Halloween!’ I was being a zombie.”

It was a joke, but I also wished it had been true. I wanted more time with you. I miss you a lot today.

Dad, you were the greatest!

Thanks for everything!