To love a hero, is one of the most honorable things one can have, To serve a country through a hero is an accomplishment at its best, To support a hero for miles and years of one’s life is only granted to a select few, And to follow a hero and bear the separations are at most times cruel. To be the daughter of a Marine has been my reason to have such pride. And when I was small everything my dad did and all the places he went were part of a world I could not understand yet. I believed my dad was larger than life. I believed he had once been a toad that my mother had kissed. Then I got older, and the fairy tale ended. The truth and reality is… His commitment was not only to us, but also to his Marines with a duty to defend America. He promised to always love us, but to put it all on the line for the cause. And when the time came, he died for what he believed in, leaving us with the loss. I’ve spent my life sharing my dad with the world. He fed the hungry, protected the defenseless, and fought for basic rights that everyone deserves. It may sound so simple to just believe in God, Family, and the Corps. But for those who live in it every day, for those who have died, and for those who have lost. They realize the true dedication it takes. I respect my dad and salute the uniform.He has turned boys into men and men into Marines and then fought alongside them for other people’s beliefs. For My Dad, My Hero, My Marine. The person who set the highest standards for what a man should be.My dad has been a profound influence in my life and I love you and miss you. You’ll always be a hero in your little girl’s eyes.