Baylee Sexton

Softball by Baylee Sexton

Father's Day: The Love That Let Us Share Our Name

Baylee Sexton shares her meaning of Father's Day.

Father's Day has been a special day to me throughout my entire life, but it has taken an entirely new meaning for me since losing my dad to ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 2014.

I was a sophomore in high school and had committed to play softball at Georgia State earlier in the year. My dad fought the terminal illness like a champion for three years. The first two years of his condition I was clueless as to how serious and rapidly the disease progresses.
 
 My father raised my brother and I as a single dad for most of our lives. Even at a young age, I was aware of how difficult it must have been to raise a little girl into a young woman on his own. He performed his duty as a 'girl dad' flawlessly. He was my biggest supporter in softball (and each of my various endeavors), stopping at no lengths to drive me across the country in his Ford F-250, never to complain about the cost of diesel gas, hotel rooms, and meals. I was always conscious of the sacrifices he made for me during that time, and I am sure that I wouldn't be here today if he wasn't such a loving and unselfish dad.
 
Baylee Sexton

 
Most people who knew my dad would agree that he was the funniest person they had ever met. I like to think that he instilled a great sense of humor in me as well as my taste in music, movies, and TV shows. Most importantly, though, he engrained a strong work ethic into me even as a young girl. He encouraged me to take advantage of my athleticism and knew it could take me somewhere. He used to tell me I was special, and that my "speed kills."
 
I started being recruited to play softball in college when I was a freshman in high school. I got a letter in the mail from a pretty big school. My dad could barely talk due to ALS, but he (somehow) walked into my room and put the letter on my bed to show me. He couldn't speak, he just started sobbing. I knew he wasn't sad, he knew my hard work would someday pay off and he wouldn't be there to see it.  I cried too, but I didn't know why.
 
The last few months of his sickness were grueling. At fifteen years old, I was naïve and in disbelief that he wouldn't be here with me forever.
 
When asked about my dad, a smile immediately covers my face and happy memories flood my mind. One memory stands out and displays his relentless fight and unconditional love he had for me. It was January of 2014 and my sixteenth birthday was coming up on the ninth. It was going to be the happiest day of my life as I would finally attain the freedom of a driver's license that was long awaited. He was so sick on my birthday he could barely open his eyes. However, I am sure that he used his last ounce of grit to stay with me for one more day to watch me turn sixteen. He passed away the next day, January 10th, 2014.
 
To me, that is the definition of unconditional love.
 
Baylee Sexton

 
He consumes my thoughts every day, but Father's Day will always be special. It symbolizes how lucky I was to spend sixteen amazing years with the most caring, strong, thoughtful, and loving man I have ever had the privilege of knowing. The day is a celebration of Dads who are willing to do whatever it takes to provide an amazing life for their children no matter the circumstances.
 
It is also a day to celebrate my grandfather, who effortlessly stepped in as an amazing guardian & father figure to me. It is easy to deem my situation as unfortunate, but I consider myself the luckiest girl alive to have been raised by a man like my father.
 
"There was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name."
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