My father, John Harlock, who died a few months after reaching the ripe age of 86. I miss him terribly . Although nothing can diminish the sadness I feel for his death, it is comforting to know that he had a long and happy life, and that was part of my life for so long.
In the 60s, most of our father-daughter relationship, Dad was there to help me celebrate the milestones in my life, including my marriage to Brian and the births of our children and grandchildren.
I am eternally grateful for that.
Some people are not as fortunate to live a long and fruitful relationship with their father. Mesothelioma, a deadly disease caused by exposure to asbestos, stole my children, Michelle, Clint and Julie, their father.
My children were in their twenties when Brian was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma.
Its three to nine months prognosis and died two years later, touched them deeply, and continues to influence the way they choose to live their lives.
Michelle Advances His marriage
Shortly after learning his father had developed mesothelioma, Michelle, our oldest daughter, hastened to the date of her marriage to Mark to make his father attended the special day.
efforts were a precious gift to Brian. The look on his face when he walked her down the aisle was one of pure joy, but there was more joy to come.
Michelle knew her father loved the bagpipes and she planned a surprise for him. Halfway through the wedding reception, a bagpiper entered the room and started playing 'Amazing Grace' ?? a favorite of Brian songs on bagpipes.
Everyone turned to Brian to see his reaction. The look of total surprise, followed by a smile that lit up his face from ear to ear, was exactly what we had hoped. It is a special memory, we continue to cherish.
Although Brian attended the wedding of his Michelle, he has not had the pleasure to meet her precious daughter was born a few years later. However, in honor of his father, his daughter named Michelle Brianan. Michelle made sure Brianan knows all about his special grandfather.
In addition to being a wife and a devoted mother, Michelle is a shrewd businesswoman who founded a Web site management company. Over the years, she has won several high-ranking awards for his achievements.
Despite its success, Michelle misses her father very much. She is very proud of the photos she place on the overall fireplace. She keeps her memory by continuing to do many things which they formerly enjoyed doing together. His favorite is to plant a vegetable garden and watch it grow. Sometimes she feels the presence of the guiding Brian when she works in her garden.
He brings comfort.
Julie Compose a special song for his father
Shortly after Brian became ill, Julie wrote a song just for him. An aspiring musician at that time, she recorded ?? A Moment in Time, ?? burned on a disc and presented to him at Christmas. It is a beautiful song written for a beautiful man. He speaks of the love of Julie to her father and the positive impact of his love and guidance have had on his life.
Gift Brian overwhelmed with emotion, and he treasured every word Julie sang.
They both shared a love for country music. Brian recognized the singing talent of Julie and encouraged to participate in the Country Music Festival Tamworth, one of the largest music festivals in Australia. Brian and I attended the festival, shortly after his diagnosis. It was his dream that we come back with family and watch Julie sing.
We never returned to the family celebration, but Julie did meet part of the will of Brian by the price competition of music. Shortly after his death, she went to Tamworth and sang ?? A Moment in Time ?? in his memory.
Although she did not win any prize in Tamworth, Julie became an accomplished singer-songwriter and accomplished many things in his musical career. She recorded two albums and performed in Afghanistan and the Solomon Islands to entertain the troops stationed there.
Although she is proud of his achievements, a Julie regret is that his father was not there to celebrate with her.
his music keeps his memory alive.
Fishing Clint keeps memory of his Father Alive
Clint and his wife, Dee, had three children when Brian died.
Kam, the eldest child, was about seven at the time and has a memory of his grandfather, but his sisters Shannon and Kylie are not. It is a pity they do not remember their grandfather, but they were too young at the time. Brian loved all her grandchildren dearly and was always spoiling them with a treatment or another.
Clint misses his father and many regrets, he could not be there to see her grandchildren grow up.
However, Clint keeps his father's memory alive by continuing to live the same lifestyle they once enjoyed together :. live in the far north of Australia, work hard and go fishing whenever the opportunity arises
Without realizing it, Clint does much to help us to cope with absence of Brian in our lives. Each time we visit, it takes us to places Brian loved to fish, and we feel incredibly close to him during these times.
I felt the presence of Brian so vividly the last time I went out in the boat with Clint. I closed my eyes and imagined he was in the boat next to me. In this special moment, I felt that I returned to the life I had known and loved for so many years of my life.
Michelle, Clint and Julie are still young. There will be many opportunities in the future when the presence of their father dearly missed as Christmas, birthdays, engagements, weddings and grandchildren. The list is long.
But my children are strong. They live their lives fully in memory of their father
This is exactly what Brian wanted :. The proud father of wonderful people our children become. I know that I am.
