By CLARA KREBSBACH
Staff Writer
Someone who is really meaningful to me is my father. Although this may seem “cliche” since many kids probably say the same thing about their parents, my dad truly means a lot to me, for many reasons. When he was just a freshman in college, he lost his mother, father, and younger sister to the same tragic event. This tragedy left him with hardly any family or money to turn to for support, and he suddenly had to care and provide for himself at just 19 years old. Facing these challenges took much strength and courage and is something I do not think I could have been able to do.
Since he lost his family many years ago, he has independently worked extremely hard to get to his very successful place in the world. He has an amazing work ethic and is extremely determined. I aspire to be like him someday. He is the most courageous, grounded, and intelligent person I know. He has literally taught me so many lessons as I have grown up, but the one I value most is one that he did not directly teach me. I have learned, just from growing up with him as my father, that success can only come from hard work. Nothing will ever be handed to me, which is why I must be willing to work hard enough to be successful and achieve great things.
I used to grimace when people told me I was like my dad because of our similar looks. I mean, who wants to be told that they look like a boy? Now that I am older, I take these comments as compliments, because I aspire to be half of what my dad is someday.