Pettway - Post #3

Last Tuesday my uncle William passed away. He was 55 years old and had a severe form of Parkinson's and numerous physical disabilities, to the point that he lived much longer than he should have. His death wasn't a total shock, as we all knew it would come sooner rather than later, but that doesn't make it any less of a loss. I had to fly home on short notice over the weekend. I actually enjoyed the funeral because it was more of a celebration of his life than a time of grieving, though there was an appropriate amount of grieving. It was also nice for me to see all my extended family members, of which there are very many.

I guess how I can tie this into the mentor blog would just be seeing how my dad handled the entire situation. I have a tremendous amount of respect for how my father conducted himself. My grandfather died before I was born, so with the condition of my uncle, my dad has always been the de facto head of the family and people usually look to him for support and as an example. This is my last post, so in conclusion I would just say that the moments in which my dad mentored me more than any other were not when we were necessarily talking to each other but when I can observe how he conducts himself in various situations, including the funeral of his brother this past weekend. He has had by far the biggest influence out of anyone besides God on the man I am today.