Dad, was a very special man. He was a person of considerable drive, commitment and who cared about the people around him. When you’re young, everyone thinks their dad can do anything, they are the fixer. Dad was gifted with a mind that could figure things out and I never knew a time that he did not apply himself to a problem and not make it better. Even more than his talent, however, was the way he used it. Sure he liked tinkering with things, but most of all, he combined his compassion and caring for people to help others. As I was growing up, Dad told me, "I can only help provide you with an opportunity, what you do with it, is up to you". As I reflect on his life, I see that Dad was very much a big part of who I am today and that I must continue to utilize the opportunities and mentoring he provided me; not for success in sports, business or individual accomplishment, but as a person having compassion for loved ones and freinds as did he. Through all that I've known and accomplished, I have come to a place where I understand his mentoring of a lifetime, what matters most is what effect you have on the people you meet and the time spent with loved ones. I am sadenned by his loss but, reflect on how proud I am of his life and more importantly, the person I knew him to be. Dad, I will always love and remember you.