Dad,

Dads are meant to be the first man you love and I am so lucky to have someone to look up to in the way that I do. You are strong, so strong. Strong, not only in your physical stature, but in your heart too. You have been a rock for our entire family in a way that has been immeasurable and I want to remind you that I am here for you whenever you need me. I'm here to bother you as you try to grill, call you nicknames that you hate, tag along on our late night Captain D's runs, and to make you feel proud of the daughter that you have raised.

You are, in the true definition of the word, my hero. You have proven that love is not expressed in a single way and one of the best friends I'll ever have will be the one who yells at me countless times for leaving a dish in the sink. You have instilled in me lessons of responsibility, courage and most importantly, a sense of self-love and comfort that I could never receive from anyone else.

I know that when I call you my best friend you probably don't believe it to be true, but you truly are. I could write for hours and hours about how thankful I am to have you in my life and how you have been someone that I will work my entire life to emulate, but I think that it can all simply be shortened into a few sentences.

I love you, Dad. I love you, best friend. I love you, padre. I love you, you old man.