My Dad, My Best Friend

When I got out of the Marine Corps, I went to work with my dad installing office furniture. He taught me how to do the work, how to use tools, and how to take pride in doing a job the right way. We worked side by side, learned from each other, and became inseparable.

We traveled together for work and spent many nights staying in hotels. Sometimes we were away from home for months at a time. We shared long workdays, early mornings, tired evenings, and countless hours on the road. Those trips were not always easy, but having my dad beside me made them meaningful. Looking back, I realize how precious that time was.

Even when we had time off, I wanted to be around him. We could spend the whole week working together, and I would still want to spend my weekend with my dad. He was my best friend, and I genuinely enjoyed being with him. We did not need anything special to have a good time. Sometimes just sitting together, talking, laughing, or sharing a quiet moment was enough.

Of course, we got on each other’s nerves at work sometimes. We spent a lot of time together, and we could irritate each other. We were both human, and not every moment was perfect. But even after long workdays, stressful jobs, and trips where we had been around each other nonstop, I still wanted to be with him. Those little disagreements never changed how much I loved him or how important he was to me.

We played poker with friends and family, and we sang karaoke together. I remember the time we sang a Hank Williams song.

Neither of us was any good, although Dad thought he was.

We got a standing ovation anyway.

That was my dad and me: installing furniture, traveling for work, playing poker, singing karaoke, and making memories in the middle of ordinary days. So much of our time together was spent doing simple things, but those simple things became some of the most important memories of my life. Grief has taught me that the moments we sometimes take for granted are often the moments we miss the most.

Then came the hospital. Dad was in the ICU on life support. He was getting better each day, and my family and I were optimistic that he would make it. We had hope. We believed we would have more time with him—more conversations, more laughs, and more ordinary days together.

Then I received the worst news of my life. Dad had suffered a setback, and he wasn’t going to make it.

He died on December 12, 2025.

Losing him was the toughest loss of my life. We had been hopeful that he would survive, and then suddenly we had to face the reality of losing him. Grief has brought sadness, anger, disbelief, loneliness, and moments when I still expect to hear his voice or share another conversation with him. Some days I feel strong, and other days the loss feels just as painful as it did in the beginning. I miss his advice about projects around the house, his humor, his presence, and the comfort of knowing he was there.

I miss the life we had together. I miss the work, the travel, the conversations, the poker games, the karaoke, and even the moments when we got on each other’s nerves. I would give anything to have one more ordinary day with him.

He was the person who taught me to use tools, the person I worked beside, and the person I wanted to be around even after we had spent so much time together. He was my teacher, my coworker, my family, and my closest friend. We shared so much of our lives, on the job and away from it.

I never want anyone to forget my dad. That is one of the reasons I created this company. I wanted to create a way for others who have lost loved ones to preserve their memories, stories, and the love that made their lives meaningful. I will always have my dad’s memorial, keepsakes, and digital memorial to hold on to for a lifetime. These things cannot replace him, but they help keep his memory close and give me a way to honor the life we shared. I hope this company can offer that same comfort to others by helping them preserve and carry forward the memories of the people they love.

My dad’s life mattered. His love, his lessons, his laughter, and the time we spent together will always be part of me. As long as I remember him, speak about him, and carry his memories forward, a part of him will continue to live on.

He was my dad. He was my best friend. And I wouldn’t trade our time together for anything.