Remembering My Dad

My dad, Richard Joseph Justice, passed away on January 30th after a 17 year battle with cancer. He was an amazing father, friend, and “Papa” and will be missed by so many.

My dad was the kindest man I have ever known and he touched so many lives throughout his 70 years. He loved his family more than anything and also enjoyed the Warriors, golf, Hawaii, and desserts.

My dad had a great sense of humor up until the end and showed such tremendous courage throughout his long battle with cancer. He lived each day to the fullest and I couldn’t have asked for a better role model and father.

I am going to miss him with all of my heart.

I spent this past week back in California with my immediate family. We cried, shared stories, and pored over photographs together. Looking at photos from my dad’s life was incredibly therapeutic for me.

Seeing my dad as a young man drinking beers with friends in Lake Tahoe, glimpsing him as a sleep deprived father cradling me in his arms, watching him travel around the globe, and smiling while looking at the countless images of us together as a family brought me so much elation. Taken collectively, these photographs told his story.

After hours of digging through old photo albums and boxes, I felt happier. I will miss my dad more than words can describe but I know he lived an amazing life. You can see his joy shine through in both photos taken 40 years ago and a few months ago.

Now with smartphones, it is so much easier to capture images of friends and family. Whether it’s a quick snapshot or an organized family photoshoot, all of these photographs matter. They tell our story.

It has been a surreal week and at times I felt like I was watching a movie instead of living my real life. Grief comes in waves and I know this will be a long journey for me. I will always carry my dad in my heart and thanks to these old photographs, in my pocket as well.