Dad's Final Fairwell

From: Lottie (LottieWhite@ClearChannel.com)
Story type: Angel
Location: cousin's house on the Rez
Source: Form Submission

It was a crisp March evening in Nebraska when my family got together at my counsin Teresa's house to celebrate the final Memorial service for my father, who passed 4 years prior of a sudden heart attack at the age of 45. This was the traditional practice of my Native American Tribe and is a very spiritual thing.

I am the youngest of my siblings and was closest to my dad. Non of us got to say good-bye that "Good Friday" morning when he passed. His passing left a pain and emptiness that I could not ease. Also at this time, my daughter, age 5 and my son, age 3 were to get their "Indian Names" as is tradition of my tribe. Early in the morning, as the sun rose, my children and I were called to stand in front of the holy man and receive the children's names. In honor of my father, he spoke some words about him, recalling his life, and all of sudden, I felt lightheaded and dizzy.

My daughter also become ill, saying she had to throw up and my son just held my hand tight. The last thing I remember was seeing my daughter running off to the bathroom. The next thing I knew I could hear my dad, feeling his big arms around me holding me tight, whispering into my ear saying, "Everything is going to be ok, daddy is here. I am always here. I love you." He said this a couple more times before I woke up to find myself sitting on a chair with my three aunts (his sisters) around me, holding me up.

At that point, I could not understand what had just happened, knowing all along that it was my dad I heard and it was his arms I felt around me, but logic told me he was dead. I told my aunts what I had experienced and wanted to know what had just happened. They all told me to believe what my heart told me. I believe my dad, knowing I was in such pain and despair, came back to say good-bye and let me know that he was ok, thus easing my pain and reassuring me, as he always did when I was growing up.

I later found out that I had suffered a seizure when all of this occurred. My father suffered these seizures throughout most of life and so I know what they are. This was the first time ever I had a seizure and the last time to this day, more than ten years later. I truly believe in angels and can say that I have the best one ever, MY DAD!