In 1999, when I was just 12 years old, I lost my dad (Mark) to pancreatic cancer. Something that has forever changed me and my family’s life. My dad was a wonderful man. An amazing father to two girls, a husband, a brother, a son, a fun uncle, a best friend. So many of us were affected by his passing.
Mark was an adventurer! He loved camping and hiking. Often spending time in nature. Our family camped every year in the Sequoias, a fond memory for me. He was funny, goofy, and loving. A true musician, he could play the guitar (acoustic and electric), the piano, and shockingly good at the accordion. He was a history buff, with a heavy interest in the Battle of Gettysburg. In fact, we spread some of his ashes there.
He comes from a big Polish family, with a sister Ewa and brother Karl, and lots of cousins. His mother Zosia and father Wieslaw survived the war and his family came to America on the Queen Mary, from England where he was born. He grew up immersed in the Polish culture and even danced in Krakusy (a Polish folk dancing troop). He was very smart and attended Humboldt for Forestry. A field he always wished he pursued. He worked many jobs but I’ll always remember his work with Warner Brothers. A place he was happy to call home. We always visited the back lots with western town as his favorite.
This is all coming from my perspective, the memory of my dad for 12 years of my life. He was an amazing dad. Beloved member of his big family. A light in everyone’s life. One day we received the news that he had cancer. At the time I didn’t know this is something we’d lose him to. Within three months he was gone.
Now as I approach the age at which he passed, I’m more aware of my own mortality. I too have two small children just like he did. I think about time missed in their lives if something were to happen. That’s why we need to find a cure for this cancer. I never want another child to grow up without their parent again. It forever changed me, and I wish it hadn’t. He leaves behind myself, my sister Summer, his wife Bonnie, and his big family that all loved him very much. We wish he was here.