IN YOUR WORDS | Mikol Zahorchak Remembers His Hero

We were so taken by our friend Mikol's post about his late father, that we asked Mikol if we could share his words with Scribbles. Mikol said yes and because of that, we proudly present his words about his father.

What do I say about my father?

I cannot talk about him as if he is gone. I know in most senses he is still here, although not in the way I want him to be. I won't talk about him the way he is today. Not this day.

There was a day I remember when I was younger, we had gone to Disneyland. We stayed in the Epcot Centre and in the morning we went down and had a continental breakfast in the main restaurant. Mickey and Goofy had walked through and said hi, and then Chip n Dale came and sat at our table and started pretending to eat off my dads plate. I remember thinking how cool this was, that my dad actually knew Chip and Dale!

That was the day my dad became my idol.

There was a day that my dad use to take me to the drive in. Not a night, but the day. Not to see a movie though. He would strap me in to the front seat of his jeep and drive really fast over all the bumps. It was our own personal roller coaster!

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That was the day my dad became my friend.

There once was a day that we were heading home from an appointment in Etobicoke. Dad was driving, and my sister Mysh and I were fighting as usual in the back seat. Suddenly dad had to swerve as he saw something in the road. Even though he tried to miss he still hit it. We started freaking out and I started balling. I kept saying "we have to go back! Give it a proper burial!" Even as I was saying it, the car started to smell. It wasn't just anything we hit, it was a skunk. Yet still, dad went back for us. He got a shoe box he had in the trunk and scooped up that skunk. We drove all the way back to Oakville gagging and crying, and gagging again!

That was the day my dad became my protector.

There was a day when walking home from school, a group of guys older than me decided to pick on me. They circled me and started to beat on me. I managed to break away at one point and was only a block away from home so I ran. I got in the door and my dad was there. He saw my bloody nose and asked what happened. I couldn't even finish saying that a group of guys jumped me around the corner and he was out the door. My stepmom Deb and I waited for over an hour when dad finally came back in, huffing and puffing. He said he chased those boys all the way over to Kerr Street before he lost them. There was my dad, 6'1 and about 300lbs at the time, and he ran all the way across town for me.

That was the day my dad became my hero.

Then there was the day I came out to my father. I was so scared that he would reject me like my mother had. I sat him and Deb down at the apartment my boyfriend and I shared and I mustered up the courage and told him. He responded "I know. I have always known. I, like any father, wished it wasn't so, since it is such a hard road. But I love you still the same."

That was the day that my dad became my support.

Just three weeks ago I saw my dad. My sister came back to visit and he picked her up from the airport in Toronto and drove her down here. They stopped in so we could spend the afternoon together before I had to go to work. My dad didn't know, but I had been craving a hug from him lately. Just missing him, and with the things I have been going through, I just wanted to feel his arms around me saying it would be alright. So when we finally hugged, I held him a little extra long. Just held him and felt his arms around me.

That was the day my dad became my comfort.

These are the days I will always hold on to and talk about. The days of my hero, idol, support, protector, friend, and comfort. The days of my dad. One day, but not today, I will talk about the day my dad became our angel.

Mikol