Last week I shared with you the story of my husband’s 40 years in a single post. One short paragraph stood out for me as I wrote it and read it back. I’m sure it would have done for anyone reading the post too:
When he was just 13, tragedy struck. His Dad died of cancer after a short illness. They’d had a special bond and it hit the boy hard.
I wrote that post and I wanted to include photos of my husband as a little boy with his beloved Daddy. But I didn’t have any.
Then something amazing arrived in the post – a photobook from my sister-in-law with loads of photos of my husband throughout his childhood. So now we have some!
I never met my husband’s dad, but I know he was a special man. He had a good job, but always got home from work nice and early and was always there for his kids. He had dreams for himself and his kids – of holidays they would take together and sports and activities they would do together.
My husband remembered the other day how his dad had had a birthday banner with the words Life begins at 40 on it. Life was just starting to begin. They had a little bit of money to do the things he’d dreamed of doing.
But life was brought cruelly to an end. If his life began at 40, it was a very short life.
In memory of the Dad and husband who brought so much happiness to his family, the father-in-law I never knew and the Grandad my children and their cousins never knew.
This post was written in response to a prompt over at Sticky Fingers. Thanks to the prompt, I’ve been able to bring together my thoughts on Dads and 40th birthdays, in a week which saw both Father’s Day and my husband’s 40th and brought these memories back.
June 19, 2013
Life can be very cruel can’t it? So wonderful to finally have some photos – I bet that meant so much to your husband x
June 19, 2013
They are very lovely photos of what looks like a very happy Dad. It is so tough when someone loses a parent so you isn’t it? My OH lost his dad when he was 2 so I can relate to some of this post x
June 19, 2013
What a lovely thing to have, such precious memories for your husband…
June 19, 2013
Lovely photos. Life is so cruel sometimes.
June 19, 2013
Great story showing just how life can be cruel but then throw in a rainbow.
June 19, 2013
What a lovely momento to get! Cherish it x
June 19, 2013
Huge hugs. xx
June 19, 2013
What a lovely tribute, gone but never forgotten x
June 19, 2013
Such a lovely post, a real tribute to what sounded like an amazing man. What a coincidence that you received those photos, I bet there are some lovely memories there for your husband
June 19, 2013
When I read your earlier post about your husband’s 40th and about him losing his dad so young I felt so sad for him, I can’t imagine not having my parents around, at almost 40 they’re still such massively important parts of my life. It’s so lovely that you got these photos.
June 19, 2013
I’m so pleased that you got some photos. Looking through mine, I don’t have one of me with my dad, I must try and find one. A lovely post and tribute xx
June 19, 2013
wow what a really sad thing that he lost his Dad at such a very young age.I am so pleased that you have now gotten some pictures of them together x
June 20, 2013
It must be amazing to see those photos all of a sudden. What an awful thing for your husband to go through.
June 20, 2013
Very lovely photos, great memories for your husband to share with your children.
June 20, 2013
Thanks very much, everyone. It was so amazing to finally have these photos after al that time! We will certainly treasure them and it’s nice for the kids to see they had another Grandpa.