On a cold, rainy spring night, I lay awake in my bed listening to the train chug along behind my house. Overthinking and worrying kept me awake. “Why did this have to happen to me?” I asked myself. April 22nd, 2018 was a day that changed my life forever. I was a sixth grader on the way to the hospital with my mom and sister. My dad was losing his two-year battle with cancer. It felt like I was in a bad dream, going up the elevator to see him for the last time. The elevator seemed to crawl upwards at the speed of a snail on the way to the ICU floor. I was fearful of what I would experience that day, and I didn’t know what was to come in the days ahead. I hoped that I would pinch myself and wake up from this nightmare. In the next few months following his death, many friends and family came together to make us feel loved and protected, but that missing piece was still hot on our minds. It was a hard pill to swallow realizing that I would never be able to turn to him for help or advice ever again, but that was reality and I had to accept it. Thankfully, my mom is one of the strongest people I know. With her on my side, guiding me through acting like both my dad and mom, things were a lot easier. It helped build up a stronger relationship with my mom. Going into High School with no father figure was a hard hill to climb. Many of my friend’s dads would sometimes call me and help me with things sometimes, but most of the time I had to figure out things myself. Doing things around the house like mowing, weed-eating, cutting down trees, or even fixing the headlights on my mom's car was difficult at first. Teaching myself hands-on chores that my dad used to do was very helpful to who I am today. With the help of my mom, and my friends I pushed hard to get good grades and not make my dad's death an excuse. My boss also stepped up as sort of a father figure to me, teaching me consistency and how to work hard. My dad was as smart as a whip, and a very successful man that always took care of his family. I want to be able to support my family like he did, and his college education was a big reason he was able to do that so well. I believe that with the help of this scholarship, I can carry on the legacy of my dad.