My Dad is my hero. Always has been.

He is a man who built his entire adult life around two things: his family and his country.

David Patton retired not too many years ago as a full Colonel after devoting his professional career to the United States’ Army. Among many other duties, he proudly served in Desert Storm and Panama, was the Provost Marshall of the prestigious 82nd Airborne, and worked closely with Gen. Hugh Shelton, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Despite my father and his father being career military men, Dad never pushed me one way or another. He saw my love of sports in my early years and always supported my professional path.

He taught me how to shoot a basketball, how to throw a football and encouraged me to go on his evening runs with him (those, I wasn’t too fond of… ha ha).

My Dad also made his share of sacrifices for his family.

When cancer made it so my mother couldn’t travel (thankfully, her diligence and strength has helped her physical condition improve immensely), often he lived alone on overseas tours, thousands of miles away from my Mom, sister and me. I remember him coming home on more than one occasion, immediately changing into his sneakers and shorts and joining two neighbors and me (or one neighbor, my sister and me) in our driveway for games of two-on-two.

He missed out on many things he didn’t want to for us, and I will never forget how much he selflessly gave.

Now, he and Mom have bought a house a couple of hours away, and within the next few months hopefully they can get settled there. I look forward to seeing each of them more and working on my golf game with my Dad.

Thank you for everything, Dad. I am so proud of you. Have a great Father’s Day. I love you.