My hero, my dad

Ever since I was little I wanted to be just like my dad, a soldier for the United States military. I never knew that his job was so emotionally and physically straining. I never really got to spend a lot of time with my dad growing up because he was deployed in different countries a lot, some places we couldn't even know where he was because it was confidential. I had three older sisters and my mom was a stay at home mom. I always knew my dad was going to be deployed because my mom would be crying and so would my oldest sister. He always had his duffle bag packed and would leave early in the morning. As I grew older I began to understand that I cannot be selfish and that is fighting for our countries freedom. I still took a toll on me though when he would leave. I never knew if I would see him again or if that hug was the last hug I would get. In April 2006 my mom got a horrible call saying that my dad was in the hospital and he was injured. I remember that day but not clearly because it was very hard for me. I was at track practice and my sister ran over to me and told me that dad was in critical condition. I immediaetly fell to the ground. I never wanted to hear those words. It truly broke my heart. My mom was already on her way to be with him on the plane. We had family friends come watch after us. My mom finally arrived in Spain where my dad was transferred to a hospital and she called us and said she was with dad. He was doing okay and that we shouldn't worry because he was in God's hands. My dad was then transferred to Langstuhl, Germany at the military base there and we finally got to see him. He had a bad spinal cord injury and was told that he would never be able to walk again. Knowing my dad he didn't take those words and he said "Watch me." Now 8 years later he retired after being in the US Army after 21 years and is he walking just like he used to. I will never forget all the sacrifices he has made and all the time I had to say goodbye. I am glad to call him my dad because he is my hero.