"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." These are just a few of the words that I live by. These are just a few of the wise words my father would repeat to me day after day. I may not be the fastest, the strongest, or even the smartest, but I will always be the one to work the hardest. My father taught me the value of hard work, the value of a job well done and the value of effort. It is thanks to him that I excelled in school and athletics despite my disability. "No matter where you go, there you are." This was another one of his famous sayings. To this day I'm not quite sure what he meant by it, but I take it to mean that no matter where I am in my life, it's important to live in the moment and cherish the small moments. Those moments that don't seem as important, the moments that seem to pass by quicker than others, the ones most people don't really care about, these moments are the ones he stressed in his life, for in these moments you're just as alive as any other moment in life. The mark of a great man is only seen by the impact that is left when he's no longer with us on Earth. My father left a great impact, not just in my life, but in many of those around him. He taught me to be a loving and caring man, he taught me to be strong in the face of adversity, he taught me to have faith in something larger than myself, he taught me the value in my fellow man. He taught both me and my sister to open our hearts to the world and to leave it a better place than when we got here. One of the toughest lessons he taught me was on the day he left us. He taught me that life isn't fair, that yes, bad things do happen to even the best of people, but most importantly in his death, he taught me that I am stronger than I feel I am. I am thankful for everyday that I got to spend with my father by my side, even if 15 years was far too short. The lessons he has taught me in life and in death will forever stay with me. My one wish is to allow him to live on by spreading his messages of love, hope, and perseverance to not only my own children one day, but to anyone will listen.