My father is the most valuable person in my life.

My father is the most valuable person in my life. He is the most courageous, religious, and selfless person I have ever known. My father had passed away when I was fifteen years old. He had died of T-cell lymphoma. He was an understanding father and a loving husband. He was a big influence in my life. All though, he is no longer with me, but he will always have a place in my heart. All he had left behind for me are the precious memories and pictures of him.

My father was a brave man. He had always been a strong optimistic person. He was an honorary veteran back in Vietnam. He had fought in the war between North and South Vietnam. When the war was over and the communist won, my father was sent to prison for fighting against them. My father used to tell me stories about all the hardship and torture he had to face in prison for six years. I know some people today that were in the same prison as my father, became mentally ill after they were released. Unlike them my father became a stronger person and appreciate life more. But troubles keep on looking for my father and wouldn't leave him alone. In 1996, when I was in fifth grade we found out that my father had cancer. He told me not to worry and that he was going to be well soon. I believed him because to me he was invisible. Instead of getting better he got worse and worse as the days go by, but never once did he stop fighting.

My father was a very religious person. He participated and helped out in all of the church activities. He was a well-known and respected person in my church. He had always put God first in his life. My family is always the first one at church and the last one to leave. Even when he got sick, my father would not miss going to church for anything. But when he couldn't walk anymore, he had asked to have a Saturday service at my house every other week. He had never blame God for any of the unfortunate things that had happened in his life; but instead his faith for God gets stronger. He had prayed every night that if he would die tomorrow, God would make room for him in heaven. I have great respect for my father because he had never doubted his faith and never question or blame God for all of his pain.

My father was a selfless man. He had always put his family and friends before himself. When my family was still in Vietnam, we lived in the city where it has more opportunity. My father would always send money back to the countryside to helped out his family and friends. He would open up our home for anyone from the countryside that likes to start fresh in the city. Money was never the problem to my father. My mom would tell me these stories about how my dad would lent all his friends money without asking for it back. She said that he had helped out many of his friends so they can come over here to the United States. Not only is my father not cheap with his money, but also he is not cheap with his love. He was always there for me, not just as my father but also as my friends.

My father had taught me a lot about life. He told me to take advantage of what I have now and make the best out of it. He said that he had risked his life to get my family over here to the United States, and all he wanted in return was for me to get a good education. Without the love and attention that I had received from my father, I do not think that I would grow up to be the person that I am today. I love and miss my father very much, and in my heart he will always be my priority. I will never forget what he had taught me and I hope that one day I can make him proud.