I once asked my dad if I could marry him- of course, I was three. Even at a young age, I adored my amazing father. Chuckling slightly, he replied that he already was married. My first response was confusion and slight fury at the idea that he was unavailable. Immediately, I questioned him, wondering why he wasn’t available. He let me down easily after that conversation, giving me a hug and promising that a better man would come along.

My father is by far the best man I have ever met, and in every way, I aspire to live my life like him. He has always been my biggest supporter, always ready to pick me up if I fall, and always there to celebrate every little victory with me. No matter what he was doing or how he was feeling, my well-being was his top priority.

My dad has taken care of me every day of my life, whether I’ve like it or not. Among other things, he never let me leave without taking my vitamins and doesn’t let me go to bed late, which is often our biggest struggle during the school year. My dad takes care of me in ways that I’m not always appreciative of or grateful enough for, but all-in-all, I know what he does, he does out of love with my best interest at heart.

Through it all, he has always been there for me, at sports events and late night homework sessions alike. At every cross country meet, you’re sure to see him racing around to find a spot on the course to make sure I’m thoroughly cheered for during the race. His booming voice and radiant smile are what pushes me to keep fighting through the race, and at the end, I’m always rewarded with his big embrace and affirming encouragement.

I have always been an energetic girl who is in constant motion, and the one to productively channel that energy was my dad. Whether it was teaching me poker at age six or taking me to run wild at the park, I was constantly engaged and learning. If he went on a run, I was the one to ride my bike faithfully alongside him, but when the hills crept up on us and my little legs gave out, he was the one who pushed me up the hill until we made it to the top.

He has taught me and my brothers so much about the world, revealing us that there is so much going on around us if we only refocus our attention and open our hearts. He has shown us the wideness of love and how it can multiply. He has been our mentor but also our friend throughout our whole lives, guiding us to be our best selves.

Looking back, I realize that I never really had any fan obsessions over superheroes or TV show characters because- truly- my hero was my dad. As cliche as that sounds, it’s simply the truth.

So, here’s to you, dad. You’re my hero.