10/15/2026
Last week, I lost my dad, Joe, at the age of 86.
I've been fortunate in my life to have had two dads. Hal, my biological father, who passed away 17 years ago, and Joe, who helped raise me and shared 57 years of marriage with my mom.
They were different men, each playing an important role in my life, and remarkably, they were also great friends. I never had to choose between them. I simply had two dads who loved me.
Joe was the steady one. Strong, hardworking, dependable, quietly smart, and a man of few words, although he had a wicked sense of humor.
He wasn't someone who talked a lot about how to live your life. He showed you.
He taught me the importance of hard work, commitment, family, and being there for the people you love. He was at my games, encouraged my education, supported every endeavor, and always pushed me to be a better person.
And while Joe may have been a quiet man, he was never quiet about how proud he was of me.
As I grew older, built my career, and raised my own family, I came to appreciate just how much his example had shaped me. He gave me a foundation that allowed me to dream bigger, do more, and hopefully give more to others along the way.
But perhaps the greatest lesson Joe taught me was what it really means to be a father.
Some men become fathers through biology. Others become fathers through a lifetime of showing up. I was fortunate enough to experience both.
Joe never saw me as anything other than his son. And I never saw him as anything other than my dad.
He loved my children, my grandchildren, and my mom, with whom he shared 57 years of marriage.
The last several years brought their challenges as his health declined, but even then, Joe was still Joe. Quietly listening, always present, and occasionally delivering one of those perfectly timed jokes that reminded us he hadn't missed a thing.
Today, I'm grateful that he's finally at peace.
And I'm grateful for the life he lived, the love he gave, and the example he set.
Joe was always proud to call me his son.
And I will forever be proud to call him Dad.
Rest peacefully, Dad. ❤️
