The Man I Look Up To -Strouse

             For most, many children do not lose a parent early in their lifetime. Unfortunately when I was ten years old my dad was in a horrific car accident. It was a cold fall morning and I was about to take the school bus, then he yelled to me, “ I’ll take you to school today.” 

He knew I loved when he drove me to school. I was in class when I heard the dinging from the phone ringing. It was my mom coming to pick me up. At the time my mother and father were separated, and that day was for me to go home. He told me in the morning, "we can take the quads out later for a right." 

The Nine year old me was thrilled to hear that, so when my mom picked me up I kept saying, "I'm going to my dads today." Over and over and my mom just didn't know what to say. Then, when we eventually got home she said, "I'm sorry Brons, but your dad passed away." 

Changed my life drastically, and I learned to accept it and live on. A lot of questions on why him? That is something I think about to this day. I say to myself, "everything happens for a reason." They are not always answers, but helps me look at the bigger picture. I remember the times he would go out of his way to help in any way he possibly could.  Looking back, I remember he was a kind soul that would do anything for anyone. Nicest guy around.

            I remember him as a handyman, and learned a lot of life lessons from him in the short period he was in this world. Working on vehicles was his passion.  would be inside the bay working on his 72 Ram, and he would tell me the tools he needed. You could hear the wrench going back and forth loosening the nuts off. After all, those were the times I cherished the most with him. Someone who was outgoing and loved by everyone.

            Grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. After living there for most of his childhood. When he turned 11 he moved to Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Where he graduated from. Many people that were my fathers friends mentioned parties they had together, the car rides, and just the man he was in his early days. 

The day of the accident I remember him wearing his usual outfit.  He was always wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.  Always wearing steel toe boots that you could hear his footsteps from a mile away.

I remember the time I learned how to drive a manual. I was about ten years old, and we drove on this back road where I stalled the car the first time. But, after not giving up I finally got the hang of it. I think back on that moment like it was yesterday. I remember looking over at him, and he is smiling in excitement for me. It was life lessons like that. That taught me to never give up even if I could not do it the first time.

The life lessons and desire to succeed in life is all because of him. I learned to live on, and not be stuck in the past. The day of the horrific accident changed my life for the worse. We cannot let what happens to us define us, instead I use his passing as motivation to better myself every day.