Dear Dad,

Although you may never see this which I doubt you ever will. I would like to thank you for never being there for me. This is not just me talking to you but every other person whose father walked out on them and never came back. We all thank you for making us who we are and what we have become. With your influence I would not be here writing this letter to you. I just know it is bad writing this as there are people who have lost their dad's and can never have them back, but I write to you happy that you will never return in my life. Walking out on my family at a young age made me think I would never have a fatherly figure growing up, but I have had more than that and they are the biggest inspirations in my life and are the best role models I could ever have. Your absence made other relatives much more important to me, and I learned so much that you could never have taught me. The best thing you ever did for your children was leave, and as relatives read this, either gobsmacked at what is being said, or being proud of the feelings being presented by myself, I know that I am writing the God honest truth for everyone to see.

I could never see you in my life again, and hope I never do. I hope that every person reading this in the same situation as me can agree with me on this, and I hope that in the life you are living now you are not treating others how you treated us. No man, woman, or child deserves to be treated how you treated us, and my only wish is for you to know the feelings and actions we had to go through as a family because of your foolishness and mistakes.

I have amounted to much more under the influence of a step-father (who means much more than you ever did) than I would have with you. I know if you ever read this it would hit you right where I would want it too, knowing you abandoned your children, and I know if my brother is reading this he would support me every step of the way.

As I come to a close on this letter, I want to remind every other person reading this that I would not wish their father to walk out, but this letter is to remind the others that have had them walk out, we are stronger people because of their actions. Everything we do, deep down we do to show you what you left on. Every bit of success and achievement is because of you. It's because you are not the father we needed but more the child that you needed. I hope every success heads my way and the way of the family that has helped me, and I, more than anything, hope you try to worm your way back into my life because I can truly tell you how I feel -- with you knowing you will not have a chance to be part of me again.

I want to leave you with this quote, "A father is not defined as the man who makes the child, but rather a man who extends his hands and time to help raise the child and give his heart and love to the child. Being a father comes from the heart, anyone can make a child, but it takes a man to raise a child". I know if you are reading that quote you feel every emotion running through your body about how you are just another person now and no longer viewed as a man through my eyes which is why I must thank you, like I started, without your absence, I would not be the man I am today.

Thanks Dad, thanks for everything,

Your Son.